Terroir//Territory: Memory, Identity, and Land through Visual Storytelling

Terroir/Territory: Memory, Identity, and Land through Visual Storytelling

Join French-American journalist and author, Lindsey Tramuta in an intimate conversation with Armenian-Lebanese-French photojournalist and filmmaker, Astrig Agopian, for the Paris launch of Agopian's multimedia exhibition, Like There's No Tomorrow.

Like There's No Tomorrow is the culmination of a three-year documentary photography project capturing the stories of ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh, where soil and land become both symbols of resilience and repositories of memory amidst conflict. What we see through this body of work is a deep exploration of cultural identity, displacement, and memory within the context of a region that no longer exists and begs the questions of what anchors us when borders shift or we are forced to leave; and how can we protect the cultural roots that connect us to our histories and ways of life?

As a way to connect us to the land that over 114,000 ethnic Armenian refugees hold on to as memory, we will be guided through a sensory experience tasting wines from the region. In terroir studies, soil is seen not only as a physical medium but as a vessel for memory, containing layers of meaning that trace back to past generations and cultural practices. This parallel illuminates how land and territory carry deep, enduring significance, acting as conduits for preserving culture and history in times of displacement.

Just as terroir grants wine regions their unique story and sense of place, Like There’s No Tomorrow reflects the symbolic power of soil and landscape in the lives of displaced Armenians, using these natural elements to sustain cultural identity amidst upheaval.

This event is organized and sponsored by ART WORKS Projects in partnership with PARAMAZ Atelier. In addition to the guided wine tasting, additional refreshments and light appetizers will be available for all guests.

EXHIBITION HOURS

Like There's No Tomorrow will be on view daily at PARAMAZ Atelier starting 3 - 9 March from 12:00 - 18:00. Please email info@artworksprojects.org if you would like to arrange a special tour and guided visit.

SPEAKER BIOS (additional names to come)

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 longterm consequences of conflicts, mainly covering Europe, the South Caucasus and the Middle East. Astrig is the recipient of the 2023 Emerging Lens Fellowship through ART WORKS Projects which supported fieldwork and production of "Like There's No Tomorrow."

Lindsey Tramuta is a French American journalist and author based in Paris since 2006. She is a regular contributor to the New York Times, Eater, Condé Nast Traveler, Bloomberg, and other international publications, in which she covers the intersection of culture, travel, and business. Her first book, The New Paris: The People, Places & Ideas Fueling a Movement, looks at the evolving French capital while her second, The New Parisienne: The Women & Ideas Shaping Paris, deconstructs the myth of the Parisian woman and showcases more than forty women influencing Paris. The New Paris, an interview podcast Tramuta has hosted since 2017, is the continuation of both projects.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZERS
ART WORKS Projects’ (AWP) mission is to use design and the arts to raise awareness of and educate the public about significant human rights issues. With offices in Chicago and The Hague, AWP provides visual advocacy tools which produce action on human rights crises at the grassroots, media, and policy levels. Conceptualized and created in conjunction with established documentary photographers, NGO's and human rights advocates, AWP's multimedia exhibitions, archives, films, and visual toolkits provide opportunities for large numbers of the general population to engage in ending major human rights violations. All proceeds from this event will go directly towards the continued advancement of Astrig's project through the Emerging Lens Fellowship program. Visit: www.artworksprojects.org to learn more.

PARAMAZ is a French-Armenian-Lebanese leather atelier and café in the heart of Paris, founded by Hagop Markarian, a Lebanese-born Armenian leather craftsman who learned the craft at a very young age in his family’s leather and shoe atelier in Beirut. Paramaz is a space dedicated to preserving (cultural) heritage, where traditional leather working techniques merge with contemporary design. Beyond leatherwork, the space serves as a hub for creative exchange, hosting artists and creators, collaborations, and cultural encounters.