Workshop Dummies: Yerevan
In October 2022 we a held photozine workshop in Yerevan. As far as we
know it was the first event of the kind in Armenia. It took place at and thanks to 4Plus documentary center and with the generous support of
Goethe Zentrum Eriwan right at the end of our research trip around Armernia. 4 months after we are still thrilled about what we experienced there and the passion that drove 8 photographers through 5 days of the making of their first zines. Some projects naturally grew into books
and artists books.
Untitled by Nazik Armenakyan
The tragic story of grandfather's forced emigration from Armenia to Iran turned into a artists's book. The basis and the framework are the letters written by the grandfather that unfold into various non-linear stories featuring archival images, documents and modern photographs. It's a personal project involving Nazik's perspective on the events, which is highlighted by a hand-made touch: stitching of some elements.
17 by Egor Kirillov
This dummy deals with the reconstruction of memories about the photographers' father. Until the age of 23 Egor though that his father had died in an accident. In fact, it was a murder — 17 stab wounds. Archival pictures alternate with reconstructions made by Egor and visibly missing images. The chosen format creates multiple triptychs and layers that could easily be put in the "wrong" sequence which highlights the elusiveness of memory.
7/25 by Vaghinak Ghazaryan
7/25 is the size of the rear-view mirror in the car that Vaghinak uses to take pictures of the passengers as he drives them as a taxi driver. It's completely black (as pictures are taken in the darkness) except the yellow highlights of the end paper and threads. It seems that this compact series took its perfect form of the palm size zine and is ready to be published.
Don't throw, use it! by Nelli Shishmanyan
Pictures of various objects that found new life and purpose in people's every day life are integrated and hand bound into the old books with texts in Armenian, Russian and English. All covers and sequences are carefully thought over and differ for every title. Every book in the edition of 27 is therefore absolutely unique. This artists's book in its concept is probably the best photobook on recycling that one can make.
Tree you are
Moss you are
A child — so high — you are
by Tina Gevorgyan
A collection of pictures from various occasions and genres is put together to create a flow that leads you through the Tina's vision: whatever the subject and circumstances, it's poetic and delicate. the zine hand bound by the bright yellow thread and put in a yellow sleeve together with a selection of cyanotype prints in a pocket.
Mental rooms by Piruza Khalapyan
The series is set in the wards of the recently abandoned psychiatric hospital. The human presence is still felt, the reality starts to shift and merge with imagination. “The place has its memory and depending on how you emerge there and what kind of mind state you have, it begins to live inside you, create your story." This artists's book/zine creates a very intensive sensual experience thanks to the materials used. The cover and Japanese binding are made
of bandages.
Experiences by Evgeniy Shalnov
The zine is built out of 2 various papers, referring to two various lives (before and after the war in Ukraine) of a ceramics artist from Russia. White paper features the artist's sculptures and objects from his studio as precious pieces and refers to his life in Russia before the war. Rough craft colour paper shows his present day life in forced exile in the suburbs of Yerevan. The contrast is striking but the soft cloth cover gives some comfort.
What if it's over, Jack? by Alex Belov
This zine is a collection of pictures taken on the road and put into a zine with a reference to Jack Kerouac and his famous book. It relies primarily on the flow created by the precise edit and sequence of images.
