Life Force magazine

The magazine of the photo-essay

March/April 2023 back issue

“A free, really high quality photo-essay magazine. Fabulous!” Stephen Fry. British actor, writer and film maker

by Ted & Nune

Stone and Candle is a long-term photographic project examining the ancient monasteries of Armenia. The publication covers forty monastic structures, distributed over the whole of the country, and several in the disputed territory of Artsakh, with the majority dating from the 4th century to 13th century. These monasteries, some of the earliest of the Christian world, were centers of education, where art and science flourished. They stand here as timeless monuments of faith, devoid of crowds, open to the winds, and silent.

“We fell in love on a hot summer day in 2010. Together in Yerevan, with the Golden Apricot Festival as backdrop, a series of seemingly insignificant, yet ultimately life-changing events changed us forever. Today, we are both diasporans returning to the land of ourpersonal and generational memories.The seeds of this book were planted long ago.” Excerpt rom the text Stone is Our Fortitude and Candle our Light by Ted & Nune

AKHTALA MONASTERY / Lori Province,10th –13th century © Ted & Nune

GOSHAVANK MONASTERY / Tavush Province,12th –13th century © Ted & Nune

KHOR VIRAP MONASTERY / Ararat Province, 7th –17th century © Ted & Nune

GEGHARD MONASTERY/Kotayk Province, 4th-13th century © Ted & Nune

HAYRAVANK MONASTERY / Gegharkunik Province, 9th– 12th century © Ted & Nune

HOVHANNAVANK MONASTERY/Aragatsotn Province, 4th-13th century. © Ted & Nune