Untitled

Commissioned by New York magazine April 2022 issue

This documental photo series was made during my 2-weeks stay in Kalush, Ivano-Frankivsk region, Western Ukraine just right after russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24/02/2022.

It was the most stressful first two weeks for me individually, because I left Kyiv and found a shelter in my boyfriend’s parents’ home but my mother still stayed in Kharkiv, my hometown, and the city is 30 km from the russian border at the same time. When she finally evacuated after spending 8 days in Kharkiv here to me in Kalush she felt disoriented and exhausted. She was sleeping only with a covered face by sweater after her traumatic experience sleeping in the dark not equipped basement alone in Kharkiv. But at the same time, I could finally sleep better because she was with me.

Also, it was the time when me and all the family in the house needed to be used for the habits of living in a war state such as hiding in the shelter during air raids and having an emergency backpack to be ready. After 2 weeks of running to the basement as shelter, we were used to staying in the corridor to using “the rule of two floors”.

1. Self-portrait in the living room with disturbing suitcases
2. Self-portrait with mother after her evacuation from Kharkiv
3. Self-portrait in the basement after the all-clear
4. Mother and Kharkiv
5. Self-portrait in the Corridor During the Air Raid