LIKE THERE’S NO TOMORROW
About the Project
Art Works Projects and 2023 Emerging Lens Fellow Astrig Agopian present Like There’s No Tomorrow, a compelling multimedia documentary that explores the lives of Armenians in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. With ~58 photographs, videos, and interviews, the project provides a profound look into the human toll of geopolitical conflict, focusing on those displaced by recent blockades and military offensives.
Agopian’s work brings attention to the experiences of individuals and families who are at risk of losing their cultural identity due to ethnic cleansing and forced resettlement. The project aims to raise awareness about the lived realities of these communities, advocating for the preservation of their culture in the face of displacement. By documenting their stories, Like There’s No Tomorrow also seeks to generate international dialogue on the neglected issue of the “right of return” for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The project connects with key experts and international actors, providing a content-rich website and visual assets as tools for advocacy, research, and engagement. By doing so, it underscores the importance of cultural preservation, post-conflict resettlement, trauma-informed storytelling, and contemporary documentation to ensure these communities’ stories are not lost.
about the artist
Astrig Agopian
Astrig Agopian is a French-Lebanese-Armenian journalist, documentary photographer and filmmaker born in Marseille in 1998. She started her career as a TV reporter and video journalist, learning the ropes of journalism while covering Brexit, French politics and the Covid pandemic for French TV channels. Since 2021, she has documented the wars in Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh, Ukraine, massive protests in Georgia and reported in France, Italy and Lebanon. Her work has been featured in dozens of international news outlets including Agence France-Presse (AFP), Arte, Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS), Le Figaro, France 24, Puls 4 Austria and others. Her photography focuses on the intersection between geopolitics, territory, marginality and memory. She documents identity struggles, human rights issues and long term consequences of conflicts, mainly covering Europe, the South Caucasus and the Middle East.
digital exhibition
ART WORKS Projects presents Like There’s No Tomorrow, a digital exhibition by Astrig Agopian.
EVENTS
In commemoration of the one-year anniversary since the cleansing of ethnic Armenians from a now dissolved region of Artsakh, Astrig debuted her digital exhibition during a virtual presentation as part of the Conversations on Photography series hosted by Project Save. Project Save is the oldest institution solely focused on preserving and sharing the photography of the Armenian global experience. Astrig was joined in conversation with Dr. Arto Vaun, Executive Director for Project Save.
View the recording of the event here.
resources & tools
Exodus
The New Humanitarian, ‘This time the relocation is permanent’: The Armenian exodus from Nagorno-Karabakh
La Vie Hebdo, Après l’exode, la vie en suspens des Arméniens du Haut-Karabakh
L’Orient-Le Jour, « Il n’y a plus rien, c’est fini » : l’exode des Arméniens du Haut-Karabakh
The Christian Science Monitor, Armenians flee victorious Azerbaijani troops in Nagorno-Karabakh
Blockade
Le Figaro, Haut-Karabakh: la jeunesse de Stepanakert confrontée à un choix douloureux
Le Figaro, «C’est comme un siège»: Bakou resserre son emprise sur la population du Haut-Karabakh
Le Figaro, Le Haut-Karabakh étranglé par le blocus de l’Azerbaïdjan
Le Figaro, Haut-Karabakh: à Stepanakert, une vie en sursis sous l’œil des «casques bleus» russes
L’Orient Le-Jour, De Fanar aux geôles azéries, la descente aux enfers de Maral Najarian (In French, Lebanese newspaper, post 2020 war about civilian prisoner of war)
La Croix, Haut-Karabakh: un an après la guerre, rester ou partir ?
The Guardian, ‘What if someone buried my son?’ Anguish of search for Armenia’s war dead
Visual Resources
Emerging Lens Project
Like There’s No Tomorrow was completed with support from the Emerging Lens fellowship.
Emerging Lens is ART WORKS Projects’ signature program that awards project support, unrestricted grants, and mentorship to emerging photographers working to document social justice and human rights issues in their own backyards and around the world.
bring this exhibit to you
All of our exhibitions are designed to tour and can be adapted to a broad spectrum of venue types and sizes.
We are happy to provide step-by-step support for hosting this exhibit.
Contact us to learn more about bringing this exhibit to your community.
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