I’m glad to welcome you on my virtual exhibition titled ‘Immigration’.
I would like to share my feelings through my photos about moving to a new country and why I decided to do it.
The idea for this series of photography is based on four colors, each of them representing different emotions.
The first emotions were anger and guilt. When the war began in Ukraine, I did not accept it. The Russian government decided to destroy innocent lives, both those of its own citizens and those in another country. I’ve been angry about this. I’m also from Russia, so I’ve felt like I didn’t do enough to prevent this. These feelings are represented by the red color, and I wore it like tights. 'Grass nearby the home' isn't so welcoming and kind.
Little by little, my anger was transforming into sadness and vulnerability. This mix of feelings pushed me toward the decision to leave my own country because I didn’t want to keep silent and be afraid of a knock on the door.
Surrounded by a feeling of sorrow and driven by anger, I decided what to leave behind and what to take with me. I've never been so certain about my priorities.
After my arrival in a new place, I was beaten down by sadness. So many people were killed and hurt, so many people were deprived of their homes. And I lost my previous life too.
A significant part of my new immigrant life was spent in a period of crying and regret. But my old and new friends helped me get through it.
All of these news, actions, and emotions absolutely leave a mark. We’re just learning to live with it and find the light through the darkness. We’re learning to build plans and dreams from the ashes and even have hope to come back home or find a new place for it.
