Diaspora

NYC—24/2/2022–8/9/2023

Ukraine’s territorial integrity was not the only thing threatened by Russia’s war. The very fact of there being a Ukrainian people, a cultural heritage distinct from the would-be colonizer was under attack. This act of naked imperialist negation transformed every Ukrainian abroad into a war-time ambassador for our besieged people. Ukrainians and our allies took to these roles in our own distinct ways, many volunteered their time, financed humanitarian and military aid, some took to the streets, united in shared anguish, anger, motivated by survivor guilt and various national ideologies. A different diaspora emerged through this time. I volunteered my time as a documentary photographer to create a history by recording a history.