Garo Keshishian's Labor Troops (Bulgarian: Строителни войски) is a comprehensive documentary study of Bulgaria's militarized labour units, spanning from 1983 to 1995. Capturing the final years of communist rule and the subsequent transition to democracy, the project offers an intimate and unfiltered look into the lives of the labour conscripts, predominantly composed of ethnic minorities and individuals deemed politically or socially "unreliable." Initially conceived as a system of public works in 1920s, the labor troops evolved into an ideological mechanism under communist rule, tasked with executing national projects while simultaneously enforcing social control. Keshishian's work is significant for its exposure of this often-overlooked state practice, offering a rare glimpse into the experiences of conscripts whose existence was largely omitted from official historical narratives.
Keshishian sought to document the emotional and psychological landscape of these men, portraying them not as passive subjects of the regime but as individuals navigating an imposed reality. His images balance critique with compassion, revealing a repressive structure while simultaneously highlighting the conscripts' personal strength and agency. The series also sheds light on ethnic discrimination within the labor troops, where minorities were closely monitored by State Security, reinforcing the state's mechanisms of control and segregation.
Visually, Labor Troops is defined by its stark black-and-white imagery, a choice that enhances the historical weight and emotional depth of the series. Keshishian's compositions often emphasize the faces of the conscripts, where traces of endurance and resistance are etched into their expressions. The use of natural light and high contrast amplifies the austere atmosphere, mirroring the grey uniformity of army life. The series oscillates between deeply personal portraits and wider contextual shots, capturing the physical and social environment of the conscripts—barracks, work sites, and moments of respite—all contributing to a broader narrative of isolation and resilience.
Circulating since the early 1990s, Labor Troops has appeared in L’année de l’est. Un air de liberté at the Musée de l’Élysée, Lausanne (1990), at FotoFest, Houston (1990), and in Behind Walls: Eastern Europe before 1989 at Noorderlicht, Groningen; a first Bulgarian showing followed in Varna (1995), and a recent 92-print survey ran at Synthesis Gallery, Sofia (2024–25).
