Heat
The July issue of SALT is a sensory journey through Armenia’s summer landscape — from foraging wild herbal teas in the mountains of Syunik to the weird and wonderful world of Yerevan’s Qrchi Bazaar. We explore the rise of horror writing, visit a museum of strange analogies, and spotlight an artist whose work defies convention. This month, eclecticism is our mood.
Cover photo by Roubina Margossian.
On Vardavar, Armenia’s beloved summer holiday, water reigns. Streets flood with laughter, hoses and buckets replace decorum. No one is safe from a surprise splash. Ani Gevorgyan captures the joyful chaos as Yerevan transforms into a city-wide water fight.
A childhood dream to live with a traveling circus reignites when photographer Areg Balayan encounters the Vardanyan Brothers Circus in Yerevan. Through his daughter’s wonder and the performers’ dedication, he gets a glimpse of the magic, trust and love that make the circus a timeless enchantment.
Fashion designer Ariga Torosian blends the architectural edge of Armenia with the layered textures of Iran to craft bold, sculptural garments. Her brand reflects a decade-long journey of cultural fusion, personal evolution and sustainable, made-to-order design.
At Qrchi Bazaar, Yerevan’s gritty weekend flea market, worn objects tell stories of survival, memory and renewal. Once discarded, these items are repurposed and reborn, offering a glimpse into Armenia’s past and present through the chaos of things left behind.
Perched on a Yerevan rooftop, the Museum of New Analogies blurs the line between art, architecture, and everyday life—an ephemeral, sound-sensitive space for experimental installations, quiet performances, and surreal encounters high above the city’s layered chaos.
Armenia’s horror subculture is gaining momentum, led by YouTuber-turned-author Ruben Yesayan. His bestselling books, rooted in local myths and unsettling landscapes, are drawing a young fanbase, even as some critics dismiss his sensational, camp-infused style as unserious.
Nestled in the outskirts of the southern Armenian town of Kapan, Darmanadzor is a soulful teahouse where Artur Patvakanyan serves hand-foraged herbal blends. Rooted in ancestral wisdom and personal healing, his teas offer comfort, connection and a quiet resistance to modern haste.
EVN Report’s mission is to empower Armenia, inspire the diaspora and inform the world through sound, credible and fact-based reporting and commentary. Our goal is to increase public trust in the media. EVN Report is the media arm of EVN News Foundation registered in the Republic of Armenia in 2017.
