Archiving Dilijan

Archiving Dilijan (from the series lmpuls). "How can one weave a herstory a new based on obscured, scattered remnants and of the past? For Silvina Der-Meguerditchian, an artist participating in the Dilijan Arts Observatory, archival photographs documenting the life of the Impuls factory and disused elements of complex electronic equipment produced here became transducers of fragile, collective memories. As voltage-output devices to convert energy from one form to another, transducers are sensitive to electromagnetic interference. The electrical resistance of the connecting cable can cause errors if the cable is long. Both reproductions of photographs borrowed from former factory employees and from the municipal library, as well as fragments of wires and unidentified electronic devices contain encoded, fragile knowledge about the past forms of complex industrial production and rich social life related to work at Impuls. The collage of photographs feature certain familiar motives like women and men at work, social and leisure activities and gatherings of the workers’ collective, machines and devices from Impuls. These findings are assembled by the artist in constellations in an abstract structure resembling a traditional Armenian carpet. The temporary artistic, archival work taking place currently at Impuls is an attempt to convert threads of life and energy connecting past and present. To create this connection one has to confront the bewildering interplay of distance and intimacy." - By Joanna Sokołowska This work was inspired and realized during the Dilijan Arts Observatory in September 2016, curated by Clémentine Deliss. The Dilijan Arts Observatory was a think tank where artists, designers, cultural historians and environmental scientists convened for three weeks in and around the ancient spa town of Dilijan, once a favorite for Russian and Armenian artists and intellectuals. Out of this residency the artist developed the Impuls series. Cultural historians and environmental scientists convened for three weeks in and around the ancient spa town of Dilijan, once a favorite for Russian and Armenian artists and intellectuals.