Archaeology in the Presence, Goris 2025

Short introduction

This photographic series was created during the “Archaeology in the Presence” art residency in Goris — an attempt to reimagine the layers of presence and to explore how art can become a form of resilience for borderland communities.

Project description

Organized by artasfoundation, the project draws inspiration from archaeological methods, shifting the focus from material heritage to the intangible cultural and artistic practices of Armenia’s border villages.

Over ten days, participating artists lived and worked in Goris and nearby communities, engaging with local people, their daily lives, and memories. Through these exchanges, they explored how art might contribute to a more bearable life in conflict-affected regions, and how local communities envision their future within this fragile context.

The resulting photographic series documents these encounters — presenting presence itself as an archaeological layer, where every gesture, memory, and daily act becomes testimony to the persistence of life.

Info

Year: 2025
Location: Goris, Syunik, Armenia
Organizer: www.artasfoundation.ch/en/
Duration: 10 days
Type: Art shelter / collective artistic research