35mm Film, Culture, and Slow Armenian Living

The other day we finished up two rolls of 35mm film and headed over to a Russian film development company, located in a large Soviet era building that still has the columns that display the communist agenda with various symbols. An interesting turn of events that this huge building that once had some sort of importance in Yerevan was now split up into many different businesses that aren't owned at all by the government. The changes in time are always interesting to see, and shooting film around Yerevan really sets the mood sometimes as you stroll through its different roads, neighbourhoods, and towns. I've mostly been shooting digital as of late, more a result of convenience rather than actual interest in digital. But this slight neglect in analogue has sort of revived my interest in it, sometimes noticing more rare momentst that I want to capture, sometimes also capturing them on digital also. Though the main appeal for film lately has been the weather. Going into minus in the night, mornings coated in ice, dense fog that coats the distance, obscuring the horizon and adding a diffusing of the light, muting the tones of old Soviet era cars and decayed streets.

I've wanted to capture the this side of Yerevan more, the cultural and historic side. The areas outside of the city and the real aspects of life here. It can be very quiet. Slow living, with a city that sometimes seems to be thriving, though after five minutes you realise the city is just two main streets and there isn't really much more to do. The youth roaming around aimlessly, grabbing coffee from the street and figuring out ways to pass the day. Stray dogs roam in similar fashion, sleeping in the streets upon every corner or just walking like the humans. Few shops are open, they all seem quite similar in what they offer: cheap fashion items and home additions. Plates, mugs, cutlery, and some odd furniture places. I still like to roam through them, even with no intent to purchase anything. To see the differences in life. The different faces that enter through it. Almost with some interest in hoping that some sort of conversation may strike up and I'll get more unique perspectives on life in such areas. While people are friendly, this hasn't really happened yet.

The Christmas atmosphere is already starting to die down now that the Eastern Christmas has ended as of the sixth. Some places still play western Christmas music. Decorations are still up. But discounts on Christmas items are already appearing. It feels a little different. The holiday atmosphere replaced again with the slower pace of living that I felt when I first arrived. What comes next for everyone seems unknown. Armenian life doesn't seem to consider the future much. It feels like it's one day at a time. One bakery visit a day to buy the day's fresh bread. The mothers stroll through the streets with their children, getting a little bit of fresh air for the day. Signs of life that seem stress-free. I'm wanting to capture it on both formats; and these are just a few of them recently.

Empty streets with air so fresh it fills the lungs with a certain coldness that can't be compared elsewhere. Mountains stand tall in the distance on clear days, snow upon their peaks. Everything with a stillness.

For the best experience view this post on Liketu