2022 - ongoing
When you face death in your family, albums full of ancient photographs can tell you a story. Unfortunately, so many documents and pictures are lost, or old-time portraits can even never exist. Today, in the era of digital technologies we have a chance to start creating our genealogy, explore our identity, and history, and as a result, save it digitally for the next generations.
In my photographs, I talk to the viewers via colours and dig into their memories and experience through colourful art abstractions. The project Primogenitors is my research of a family portrait, where I explore my roots, family members’ stories, and their relations. In this project, I explore the Ukrainian nation where I belong and my identity as well.
I started my project after the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022; however, my reflections about my family and its history started just three months before the invasion – after my grandfather’s death. I haven’t seen him for a long time because of the uncertain family relationship and then because of the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time my grandfather was the last living grandparent in my family. I dreamed of meeting him in person after the pandemic ended. I felt that I needed to collect some stories about his life as a child during World War II and to know better how he and my ancestors survived. But it never happened. I was crushed by the news of his death. After a while, I felt calm because he shouldn't see a new war again.
Unique piece size 210 x 297 mm, limited edition prints size: various.
Medium: Analog photography (archives), photo paper, paint, collage.
Number of photographs in collection: 11
Awards: Neutral Density Photography Awards 2022 - Honorable mention, Fine Art: Abstract. Budapest International Foto Awards 2022 - Honorable mention, Fine Art: Collage. 19th Julia Margaret Cameron Award 2022 - Honorable mention, Digital Manipulation & Collage. Tokyo International Foto Awards 2022 - Official selection, Fine Art: Collage. London International Creative Competition 2022 - Finalist, Create (Art). Fine Art Photography Awards 2023 - Nominee in Fine Art. FRESH EYES 2023, Portrait.
My father, early childhood, 2022
My mother, early childhood, 2022
My great-grandmother, grandmother and my mother in her early childhood, 2022
My mother in her 20s, 2022
Great grandmother Kateryna in her garden, 2022
Great grandmother Mariia with my uncle, 2022
My grandmother Motrona with grandfather Volodymyr and my mother Olena in her early childhood, 2023
Family wedding entertainment in the village, 2023
My grandmother Liliya with grandfather Oleksii, 2023
Grandpa Volodymyr, 2024
