Niraḫ – Echoes from α Draconis
360-Degree Projection at the National Gallery of Armenia, Yerevan, 23-26 September 2026
Centered on Armenia’s prehistoric Vishaps (Dragon Stones) »Niraḫ« bridges ancient spatial memory and contemporary artistic reflection. The installation transforms Armenia’s cultural heritage into an immersive multisensory experience.
The Wisdom of the Dragon Stones
These 5,000-year-old basalt monoliths – carved near water sources high on Armenian Mount Aragats – hold a deep knowledge that modern science can barely decipher. In this audiovisual artwork, the Vishaps descend from their remote origins to the National Gallery of Armenia in Yerevan.
»Niraḫ« shows their travel and their reaching into today’s world, merging their ancient presence with ours in a quiet dialogue – inviting us not just to observe, but to sense, to listen, and to remember.
In contrast to purely scientific interpretations, the artistic transformation aims to restore the intrinsic mystery and living presence of the Dragon Stones. Visitors are invited to step into the projection, interact with the environment, and explore their own perceptions of space, time, and myth.
Niraḫ, α Draconis and the Vishaps
Four to six thousand years ago, two ancient guardians marked the boundaries of human survival: one in the sky, one on earth.
In the night sky, α Draconis – the ancient pole star in the constellation Draco (the Dragon) – guided travelers through uncertain worlds. On earth, on the slopes of Mount Aragats, giant basalt monoliths known as Vishaps (Dragon Stones) were carved with serpents and fish, guarding vital water springs – lifelines in a demanding landscape.
Across the ancient world – from Mesopotamia and Egypt to China and Peru – the serpent was never a creature to be feared, but a symbol of wisdom and protection. The Mesopotamian serpent deity was called Nirah and was found on ancient boundary stones, encircling the stone like a protective ring.
Distant phenomena, yet both serving as markers of protection and survival. Coincidence, or a hidden connection? In any case, a magic constellation of stars and stones.
Project Partners:
- Artistic Director: Hrachya Vardanyan
- Curator: Elena Melkumova
- Advisor: Vazgen Pahlavuni Tadevosyan
- National Gallery of Armenia
»Niraḫ« will be part of the exhibition Prehistoric Sculpture and Contemporary Totems that is related to the international conference Contested Pasts, Uncertain Future(s): Heritage, Memory, and History, to be held at Yerevan State University from 23-26 September 2026.
Find more information in the catalogue of the conference and exhibition (PDF)
Niraḫ at the National Gallery of Armenia
The installation will take place in a historic hall of the National Gallery of Armenia, a space characterized by Armenian Christian frescoes that provide a profound historical backdrop of artistic transmission, memory, and preservation.
The Liquid Image will be mapped directly onto the four fabric-covered walls to form a seamless, continuous 360-degree panorama. Using multi-channel media playback and precise edge-blending software, the video mapping will align the multi-projection setup to eliminate seams, geometry distortions, and optical gaps at the room’s corners. The sound composition is conceived as a 10-channel sound system.
By transforming the exhibition space of the National Gallery into a resonant and evolving environment of moving imagery and spatialized sound, the project invites visitors to encounter Armenia’s deep history not only as observers, but as active participants in a meditative and interactive dialogue.
Field recordings on Mount Aragats
In July 2026, AREA COMPOSER completed an intensive one-week research and recording expedition across Armenia in close collaboration with Artistic Director Hrachya Vardanyan.
In July, we went up Mount Aragats together with our friend Hrach. We had many questions and a big challenge in our luggage. But when we were up there, in the archaic landscape where the Dragon Stones had once been built, then buried, and later rediscovered, everything came together. Between the sky with its trillions of stars, the mountain with its trillions of stones, and the flowing water with its trillions of droplets, we felt deeply the connection between the past and the present. Every star, every stone, every water drop told us his story — a story from ancient times until today, united in their matter, their spirit, their pure existence. When we came back, we put all these stories together into one floating liquid image and into one soundscape. We called our artwork »Niraḫ« . Nirah is the name of a Mesopotamian goddess that may once have led people from the lowlands up into the mountains — along flowing water lines — to create those Dragon Stones. But this is also only a story.
Follow the creation process of »Niraḫ« in our Instagram Stories
Get a first impression of the experience and listen to some sound clips of »Niraḫ«
Clip 1
Clip 2