📅 May 15 | 19:00
📍 Institute of Contemporary Art, Yerevan, 47 Avet Avetisyan
“Childhood Under Fire” is a joint project by photographer Ani Gevorgyan and journalist Shushan Papazyan, documenting the various stages of the Artsakh conflict between 2016 and 2023 – from the April Four-Day War to the forced displacement of September 2023 – which affected countless civilians, including children. The project presents the stories of 5 children whose lives were cut short in their home or school yard as a result of Azerbaijani aggression.
These stories remind us that behind the statistics lies an unlived childhood, interrupted dreams, and shattered futures.
The project attempts to move away from scenes of loss. Instead, it presents quiet signs of presence – a child’s notebook, a toy left on a table, the way a family continues to live after the loss of a child. A child’s life cannot be defined by the moment of their death. It belongs to a much greater personal story.
About the Authors
Ani Gevorgyan is a journalist and photographer, winner of the Freedom of Speech Award. She has participated in photography exhibitions at the UN Headquarters (New York) and Geneva office, the Council of Europe (Strasbourg), Paris, Rome, Berlin, Vienna, and elsewhere. For over ten years, she has been covering war and post-war themes.
Shushan Papazyan has been a conflict journalist since the 44-day war. After the final exodus of Armenians from Artsakh, she has been writing on several key topics, such as the stories of the soldiers killed, tortured and missing during the September 19-20, 2023 war and their families as war survivors, as well as civilians who fell victim to armed attacks or shelling. She has also participated in various multimedia projects.
