Katharina Bayer, who has been studying at the Leipzig Academy of Fine Arts in Germany since 2021, specializing in experimental cinema and video installations, reached out to the “Carahunge Armenological Center” for support in filming her graduation film in Armenia.
During her research, Katharina discovered the radio telescope in Orgov and the book Armenians and Ancient Armenia by Paris Herouni. She was impressed by Armenia’s significant contributions to the field of astronomy and would like to dedicate her graduation film In the Eyes of the Sun (working title) to exploring this topic. The film will focus on Armenia’s historical and scientific landmarks, such as the Herouni Radio-Optical Telescope (ROT-54/2.6), the Carahunge Observatory, the Temple of the Sun in Garni, the Sevsar Observatory, and the monuments of Mount Nemrut.
In her work, Katharina aims to make a leap in time by exploring the intersections of history and science, the archaeology of astronomy, and the interpretation of symbols. After completing the film, she plans to present it at international film festivals.
Katharina wrote that she was planing to be in Armenia from September 7 to October 1, 2024, to conduct interviews and film. Initially, when she contacted us, Katharina thought that our organization granted permission to film in Carahunge. We directed her to the appropriate organization that manages the reserve, and we also repeatedly called them to assist Katharina, but her letters went unanswered, and we were unable to resolve the issue through phone calls. But this was not surprising...
In the end, we facilitated and helped organize Katharina’s visits to the Herouni radio telescope antenna, the Byurakan Observatory, where she said she had a wonderful meeting with the director, Areg Mikaelyan. For her visit to the Garni Temple, we introduced Katharina to historian and guide Bagrat Movsesyan, with whom, as Katharina told us, she had a long and very interesting conversation about history and mythology. Katharina visited the Carahunge Observatory, the Sevsar astronomical zone, and the petroglyphs of Geghamasar. All of this, according to her, was beautiful and fantastic.
On the last day before returning to Germany, Katharina visited our office and interviewed Hayk Malkhasyan, head of the Department of Historical and Cultural Astronomy of the Byurakan Observatory, Garnik Stepanyan, an architect and professor at the National University of Architecture and Construction, and Nana Heruni, the chair of the “Carahunge Armenological Center”. We organized all of this with love and dedication, hoping that Katharina’s film will, at the very least, provide accurate information about the above-mentionedhistorical and scientific landmarks of Armenia. Katharina is a very charming and friendly person. She said she would definitely return, as she was deeply impressed by the richness of Armenian culture, the beautiful nature, and the many friendly and open people.
We look forward to meeting her again. We wish Katharina’s film great success!
