COSMIC SOLITUDE is an exploration of solitude and isolation in one of the Soviet Union’s largest cosmic ray research stations, located in the remote mountains of Armenia. Once a place of great scientific importance, the station continues to operate today, though only three people live and work there year-round, surrounded by silence and vast, open landscapes.Â
Through striking imagery, the book documents life at the station, offering a rare glimpse into a world where time seems to stand steel. But beyond its surface, Cosmic Solitude is a reflection on the deeper meanings of solitude both physical and existential. It encourages the viewer to pause and think about the connection between people and the places they inhabit, about time, and about the meaning of what it is to be human and alone.
Edited by renowned photo editor Sarah Leen and printed in Italy, Cosmic Solitude is a visual journey into one of the world’s most remote scientific outposts, where past and present quietly coexist.
YULIA GRIGORYANTS is a visionary documentary photographer from Armenia whose work explores the unseen aspects of human experience, capturingthe aftermath of conflict, the lives of marginalized communities, and the enduring impact of social and cultural challenges. Through her lens, she examines themes of memory, loss, and the quiet resilience of people.
Her photography is deeply influenced by her personal history: born in Azerbaijan to an Armenian family, Grigoryants fled the country in 1988 to escape the violence against Armenians. Growing up in Armenia during the transition from Soviet rule to independence, surviving a devastating earthquake, and enduring the socioeconomic hardship and scarcity following years of war. Her work has been published in major outlets such as The New York Times, The Sunday Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and Al Jazeera. It has also been showcased at the Sharjah Art Biennial (UAE), Musée Albert-Kahn (France), the Council of Europe (France), Somerset House (UK), The House of United Nations (Armenia).
Grigoryants has received several notable awards, including the Albert-Kahn Award and Prix Maison Blanche. She currently lives and works between Paris and Yerevan.
Day/Time: Tuesday, March 4, 2025 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
