PROJECT MARIA, 2018
It is a genocide written out of history. The 1932-33 state-sponsored state-sponsored death by starvation in Soviet Ukraine is known as the Holodomor. Almost a century later, the word does not exist in English language dictionaries; the event is largely ignored in the context of global genocides; disinformation, denial and obfuscation continue to be used as weapons in Russia’s war against Ukraine; and the needs of descendants remain neglected.
Victims of this famine-genocide number in the millions; their descendants are innumerable. As a member of the Ukrainian diaspora, I have spent the past three years creating Project MARIA which is dedicated to them. Working with film, new and reinterpreted photography, archival materials, and victim testimonies I have produced two books, a film, and a mobile memorial.
WORKS
POSTER PROJECT (2)
Working with London-based graphic designer Sarah Boris, I wanted to point to importance of giving the word HOLODMOR a place in dictionaries. In response to my work and research, I arrived at a definition which points to the state’s role in the tragedy. Using the colors of Ukraine’s flag, two posters were designed. They were made available for all visitors to Ukraine’s first exhibition of Project MARIA in 2020 at the National Museum of the Holodomor Genocide, Kyiv.
EXHIBITIONS (3)
Project MARIA, National Museum Holodomor Genocide, Kyiv, 2021
Project MARIA, Landskrona FotoFestival, Sweden, 2020
White Shadows, Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, Boone, 2020
Walk With The Curator, Mary Anne Redding
Turchin Center For The Visual Arts, Boone, 2020
COLLECTIONS (18)
TRANSFIGURATION
Thomas J. Waton Library, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Embassy of Ukraine in the Kingdom of Sweden. Stockholm, Sweden
Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, Washington, USA
National Art Library, Victoria and Albert Museum. London, UK
Maison Européenne de la Photographie. Paris, France
Thomas J. Watson Library, Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, USA
City of Ottawa Art Collection. Ottawa, Canada
David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University. Durham, USA
Green Library-Special Collections. Stanford University. Stanford, USA
Richter Library-Special Collections. University of Miami. Coral Gables, USA
Boston Athenaeum. Boston, USA Rare Books & Special Collections.
Library of Congress. Washington, DC
Davidson Library-Special Collections, University of California. Santa Barbara, USA
Morris Library-Special Collections, University of Delaware. Newark, USA
Butler Library-Special Collections, Columbia University. New York, USA
Hawthorne-Longfellow Library-Special Collections, Bowdoin College. Brunswick, USA
Dodds Special Collections Library, University of Connecticut. Storrs, USA
Olin Library-Special Collections, Wesleyan University. Middletown, USA
Morris Library-Special Collections, University of Delaware. Newark, USA
BOOKS (2)
MARIA
LIMITED EDITION AND SPECIAL COLLECTORS EDITION
TRANSFIGURATION
RARE ARTISTS MAKING OF
TRANSFIGURATION
RARE ARTISTS BOOK
TEXTS (17)
THE GUARDIAN, You Must Remember This
ALISON NORDSTROM From Ashes, TRANSFIGURATION
AMY PARISH TRANSFIGURATION, LENSCULTURE
MARY ANNE REDDING Curatorial Essay
ROBERTO MUFFOLETTOP roject MARIA, Project VASA
SABINE TANOVIC Interspersed Memory, TRANSFIGURATION
MARIA KARINA BOJIKIAN Maria, THE EYES
Alison Nordström From Ashes, Book Arts arts du livre Canada
Gabriela Cendoya Photobooks of 2019
MARY ANNE REDDING, CURATORIAL ESSAY
JUNE CHAU, AWARD RABBLE
MARIA KARINA BOJIKIAN, MARIA, THE EYES
Memorial Victims Holodomor, MARIA
Yogurt Magazine, Italy
Youthpassageways
DODHO, TRANSIFGURATION, Spain
Maxine Watts Lenscratch, RECLAIM PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL
AWARDS (11)
2020 Project MARIA, Winner Architecture of Memory, Landskrona Fotofestival, Landskrona, Sweden
2019 MARIA Shortlist Prix du Livres, Recontres d’Arles, Arles, France
2019 MARIA, Winner Experimental Category, Kyiv Arsenal International Book Festival, Kyiv, Ukraine
2019 MARIA Grand Prix, Best Book Award, Kyiv Arsenal International Book Festival, Kyiv, Ukraine
2019 MARIA Athens Photography Festival, Shortlisted
2019 MARIA The Director’s Choice Award, CENTER Review Santa Fe, New Mexico
2017 Hariban Benrido Collotype Shortlisted, Japan
2018 MARIA Biennal Grant, Shortlisted
2018 MARIA 12th Pollux Award, Series Winner, Human Rights and Segregation
2018 12th Pollux Award, Honorable Mention, Documentary and Reportage
2018 12th Pollux Award, Honourable Mention, Digital Manipulation