Sasha, tell us where are you based and what do you do?

I'm an artist working in photography and video. I'm based in New York and I spend a lot of time in Paris.

So, how are you related to Armenia?

My father is half Armenian and grew up in Yerevan. He brought me here as an infant to be baptized and wildly, I have a memory of that moment — being cold and disoriented, held by a large man. The last time I returned was when I was 14 for a wedding, a very exciting day replete with all the customary fanfare. That was a rather profound trip for me in my adolescence, during that tender moment of transformation. When I returned to Florida where I was living with my mother and her husband, it took a long time for me to acclimate back to my American life. This is my first time returning since then, 21 years later. I feel fortunate that this is possible.

How does it feel to come back here after such a long time? And how do you feel in this house?

This apartment is a bit of a sacred place for the family. My father and aunt grew up here, my grandparents lived here for years starting in 1975. I remember a distinct feeling of the space from my visit 20 years ago — how much history happened here before I ever existed. The time capsule feel gives me a sense of security and belonging. I haven’t seen my dad or my sister in a couple of years, and meeting here has been a very meaningful reunion.

You told us that you are filming a family project here. Can you tell us a bit more?

I was born in Moscow and when my parents divorced, I moved to the US with my mom. For 16 years I've photographed the two sides of my family separated across continents, looking at the way that divorce shaped and transformed the course of our lives. It’s an intimate family story within the larger context of immigration, opportunity, geopolitics, and loss.

Having the opportunity to finally photograph in Armenia is filling in something that was missing from my experience of making this work, looking at a place that was part of my parents origin story. It's giving me more of an insight into my father's history that I've heard about but I never had the opportunity to experience as an adult.

Do you have any particular memories connected to some objects from this house?

There’s a pile of photographs of the family across generations collected by my grandmother hidden away in some boxes and suitcases. We actually planned to look through them today. Seeing them for the first time when I was 14 was transformative. I've been eager to experience them tangibly again. They speak so much to the archetypes of family figures that I’m thinking about when I’m making my own work, and to the labor it took from my ancestors for me to be here at all.

Are those images of your dad?

It's of my dad’s side of the family. Myself, my dad, my grandparents when they were young, their relatives. Documents from my grandparents’ lives. It's an amazing trove of images and ephemera I feel so lucky exists.

Can you show us some photographs?

Certainly.

This apartment stayed in the time that it was built, right? So, do people live here or not?

My stepmom lives here currently. My grandparents would visit at least once a year for a long time and there was no real need for them to make any changes from the way it was in the 70s. I’ve also been a big proponent of it being preserved as a window in time. Their old wooden window frames with that beautiful warped glass were in danger of falling out onto the street and didn’t insulate at all, but their recent replacement was a big loss to me.

Do you like it in Armenia?

It’s incredibly special to be here. I feel particularly connected to nature outside of the city. As soon as we leave Yerevan and I see the landscape I feel a pull. We went to Geghard Monastery and I was inspired to just be there all day, to make a some very slow-paced art documentary. Everything was interesting, the hushed voices, ancient stone, the thoughtful and gentle way people move in the space. I was affected by that and hope to return soon.

This moment feels like what I hope is a new phase of a relationship to place that started a long time ago but laid dormant for most of my youth due to challenging life circumstances. It’s comforting to have something to look forward to.

How does it feel to come from crazy New York to slow Yerevan?

The pace here feels familiar and not too dissimilar from a large city! I love New York, but I experience the same desire here as I do there to get out and be in nature. It feels like that’s where the mystery is. Leaving often makes the city palatable. It’s been exciting to get to know some young creative folks, to see some of the work people are creating here. That’s typically my window into a place I’m trying to get to know more deeply.

Do you have any favorite places already here in Armenia?

Geghard, all around Sevan, my stepmom’s family’s village, but this is a short trip and there’s just so much more to see. Mostly I love being in the car with my dad. Growing up our places to connect were late nights in the kitchen or in the car. And it's nice now to drive with him here too.

Three months after this interview Sasha’s paternal grandmother Tatiana passed away in St. Petersburg.