Secret Door on Abovyan St

Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, is quite overrun with vegetation. In every available spot a vine or tree takes root and flourishes. Being there in the autumn of 2022 was inspirational for my recent work exploring plant sentience. However, whilst I was drawing over this set of images shot in Abovyan Street, I realised I also needed to reflect the feeling that pervaded Armenia at the time.

Because peaceful Armenia was yet again under attack by its genocidal neighbours, Azerbaijan backed by the Turkish government, who dream of a Pan-Turkic Empire. There was fear, and strength. And in a republic of people who will almost always have divergent opinions on any matter, there was a unity developing. A growing unity of a people standing alone against an invading force which outnumbers them 30 to 1, and yet whom they are resisting, holding off, and hoping that the world will see past the oil and gas wealth of the invaders and come to their aid.

So there is a secret door of strength on Abovyan St.