A talk by Dr. Evangeline McGlynn on the 1988 Spitak Earthquake in Soviet Armenia engaging with the question of scale and materiality of disaster through an exploration of dust from the built environment.
This talk takes an ecocritical approach to intersections of text, architecture and landscape in the 10th-14th centuries in the region of Vayots Dzor, which was during the middle ages a central province of the kingdom of Syunik. I will explore the medieval idea of the sacred desert, as established in biblical imagery and expanded in the vitae of the so-called desert fathers, founding figures within medieval Christianity and in the ideologies of monasticism especially.
I’m thrilled to share a deeply personal project I’m working on in my 2025 SFFILM FilmHouse Residency — and invite you to help make it happen.
I’m directing and producing a full-length documentary called The Dragon Under Our Feet, that follows my journey as a Bay Area artist reconnecting with my Armenian heritage through the art of traditional carpet weaving. What began as an exploration of ancient symbols has grown into a story about identity, resilience, and the fight to preserve culture.
In the film, I create a contemporary stained glass work inspired by centuries-old Armenian carpet motifs — especially the dragon (vishap). Along the way, I meet weavers, elders, and historians in both California and Armenia, from refugee women in Goris weaving to support their families, to museum directors saving rare rugs from war. With these cultural experts as my guide, we uncover the stories these carpets carry — and the questions they raise about heritage, connection, and survival.
We’ve launched a crowdfunding campaign to directly support filming in Armenia this September. Donations are tax-deductible. You can help by contributing or sharing the campaign with your community. Every gesture moves us closer to preserving and sharing these stories.
https://seedandspark.com/fund/the-dragon-under-our-feet#story
