When I first arrived in Ukraine at the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, it was completely foreign to me. Living here for the past three and a half years has allowed for a deeper perspective, an integration of everyday moments that provide relief from the never-ending tragedy. As a Russian orphan at the collapse of the Soviet Union, adopted into a Ukrainian-descended American family, the history of Russia and Ukraine has always been a personal story. The message now feels more abstract than just what war looks like- it is what surviving a war feels like. This project will be completed by February 2026, the five-year mark of the full-scale invasion. The first goal with the scholarship will be to collect the final stories and images about the ongoing aftermath. It will aid the costs of translation and travel necessary to explore the final chapter of a story about Ukraine over the past half-decade. Other goals for this work include an exhibition at a gallery here in Kyiv. It will be my first local exhibition, as other iterations have been presented in various galleries. I also hope to self-publish a small book under the advisement of Kathy Moran and Sarah Leen. This opportunity will offset the printing costs for both. My final goal and unwavering motivation for continuing this work is the hope that reaching new audiences will generate awareness around the long-lasting impacts of conflict on communities affected by war.
