Cosmic Solitude •

Cosmic Solitude is a photographic exploration of solitude and isolation, in what was probably the largest cosmic ray research station during the soviet time.
The project documents the banal daily routine of the last three employees at the station, 3300 meters above sea level in Armenia, where the snow covers the ground two-thirds of the year. Isolation & solitude is what these two scientists and their cook experience in a place that once, employed over 100 scientists and buzzed with life.

Established in 1943 under Soviet rule, it studies issues in astroparticle physics, solar-terrestrial connections, space weather, and geophysics. After the fall of the Soviet Union and subsequent independence of the country in 1991, it was a time of important political and social changes for the country. The collapse in the country’s economic situation, five years of war, and the introduction of technology to replace manual labor have created desolate industrial spaces, once thriving with employees. These spaces are the symbolic and visual aftermath of economic and political conflict and transition, the aftermath that is largely invisible and disregarded by the outside world, but which exists as living proof of a bygone era.
Here, at the station, totally isolated from society, 70-year-old Artash Petrosyan has been working as a cook for 32 years. Now he cooks for 3, instead of 100. Here, where the average winter temperature is -15 degrees Celsius, the days pass slowly for the two young laboratory assistants, as well. Karen Asatryan(26) has been working at the station for the last 8 years, while Edik Arshakyan(44) joined the team recently. They have one-month shifts to maintain the station 24 hours/day, year-round, year after year, wondering if one day they might find themselves like the old man who spent half of his life here.

Artash Petrosyan, 70 y.o. - the cook at the Aragats Cosmic Ray Research Station, on a stroll.
The reflection of Edik Arshakyan, 44y.o., in the broken window of an abandoned construction of the Aragats station.
Artash Petrosyan, 70 y.o. - the cook at the Aragats station spends most of his time in this room with TV. Each month the shift changes and Artash goes down to his village. He has been working at this station for more than 32 years.
View of Aragats mountain and Qari lake through the window of "MAKET" laboratory at the Aragats Cosmic Ray Research Station.
Laboratory assistant Karen Asatryan, 27y.o., works at the "MAKET" laboratory 9 floors deep under the ground.
Laboratory assistant Edik Arshakyan, 44y.o., in the dining room at the station.
The plants at the Aragats Cosmic Ray Research Station
Laboratory assistant Karen Asatryan, 27 y.o. walks down the stairs to reach "GAMMA" laboratory 9 floors deep under the ground. "GAMMA" laboratory has the world's largest magnetic spectrometer to measure the muon content of the extensive air showers.
Laboratory assistant Edik Arshakyan, 44y.o., enters the laboratory 4 floors deep under the ground.
“Ancient” electronics of the stopped ANI experiment located 9 floors under the ground.
Artash Petrosyan, 70y.o., the cook at the Aragats station, is seen here in the kitchen, where he has been working for the last 32 years.
"Dining room" at the Aragats Cosmic Ray Research Station.
Laboratory assistant Karen Asatryan, 27y.o. is seen here playing pool alone.
The two employees of Aragats Cosmic Ray Research Station: Karen Asatryan (26) - laboratory assistant and Artash Petrosyan (70) - the cook, are having dinner at the station.
A poster from 1989 is still on the wall of "MAKET" laboratory of the station.
For the last 32 years Artash Petrosyan, 70y.o., works as a cook at the Aragats Cosmic Ray Research Station.
The cosmic-ray tower used to hold a detector around 50 years ago, long out of service, keep a silent vigil around the station.
Laboratory assistants of Aragats station, Edik Arshakyan, 44 y.o. (left) and Karen Asatryan, 27 y.o. (right) prepare the boat for a short sail on Qari lake.
These constructions - the “huts” with plastic scintillators, are from a completed experiment “MAKET-ANI” 20 years ago. These scintillators were used to measure the density of electrons coming from the gigantic particle showers initiated by a high-energy proton or nuclei in our galaxy.
Evening at the Aragats station.
Electronic engineer David Pokhsraryan, 37y.o in his office at A.I.Alikhanyan National Science Laboratory foundation. Cosmic Ray Division in Yerevan, Armenia.
Artash Petrosyan, 70 y.o. , cooks in the kitchen of the station - in his working place of the last 32 years.
Senior Researcher Lev Kozliner, 71 y.o. from Cosmic Ray Division's Yerevan office is seen in the "MAKET" laboratory during his visit to the Aragats Station. The purpose of this visit is to prepare particle detectors for Winter operation (when they have access to the station once a month), repair electronics, check cabling systems and connectors. He has been working at the Comsic Ray Division for the last 50 years. "MAKET" is the experimental hall that hosts several particle detectors for registration of neutral and charged species of cosmic rays, as well as, sensors to detect atmospheric discharges, near-surface electric field, and meteorological parameters. It is the world's first lab where registration of particle fluxes and lightning flashes is performed on nanosecond time scale.
Laboratory assistant - Edik Arshakyan, 44y.o., goes out from "MAKET" laboratory in wintertime. MAKET is the experimental hall that hosted several particle detectors for registration of neutral and charged species of cosmic rays, as well as, sensors to detect atmospheric discharges, near-surface electric field and meteorological parameters.
These constructions - the “huts” with plastic scintillators, are from a completed experiment “MAKET-ANI” 20 years ago. The scintillators were used to measure the density of electrons coming from the gigantic particle showers initiated by a high-energy proton or nuclei in our galaxy.
Artash Petrosyan, 70 y. o. sits on his bed in his bedroom at the station.
Winter still life in one of the laboratories of the station.
The room of Karen Asatryan is equipped with a computer that shows the progress of data collecting and transfer. Here Mr. Asatryan spends most of his day.
The same room serves as a bedroom and an office for Karen Asatryan.
The snow covers the ground two-thirds of the year with the average winter temperature: -15 degrees Celsius. These constructions - the “huts” with plastic scintillators, are from a completed experiment “MAKET-ANI” 20 years ago. The scintillators were used to measure the density of electrons coming from the gigantic particle showers initiated by a high-energy proton or nuclei in our galaxy.