Alexandra Bolotina is a portrait photographer from Kharkiv Ukraine. I think her work as a family photographer is her superpower - the way she makes people interact with each other and the camera, and how she organizes space around them. In her photos, Alexandra creates a whole little world that belongs for just a little bit of time and space only to these people.
Alexandra's photos were bringing her international awards and recognition and her clients were spread around the world way before the war entered our lives. Now these people are even more dispersed - but are still in touch with Alexandra's projects.
When the war began Alexandra was in Kharkiv and for some time photography was substituted with organizing help for people and animals. Food, medicine, and support in evacuation. Then she was organizing people who wanted to help as well. Then there were projects helping soldiers in the front, people recovering in the hospitals, and orphans. Projects that Alexandra curated were built around concrete things that were needed by real people. And she documents it in her photos: what was done, and how, who received this help - we see these people in action.
There is an ongoing production of adaptive clothing for people injured in the war.
Food and medicine to a village that was just liberated and is standing in ruins with people living in rubble. Wheelchair and medicine for a child with a devastating disability. The list goes on and on. And parallel to all of that photography returned to Alexandra's life - and how!
Portraits of her fellow volunteers, animals, and families. Wonderful portraits of the city of Kharkiv - I love seeing it through her eyes - with scars but with so much beauty.
Photo projects - from a series created with AI on a theme of Ukraine to documenting the damage done by russian strikes to projects-posters. She writes little stories that come with the photos, they are translated by Facebook quite well. That is the best way to see her latest work. Or on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandra.bolotina
To support her projects here is PayPal info: bolteni@gmail.com Please put "Support Ukraine" in the message field or specify if there is a particular project that you want to donate to.
Alexandra's art is filled with beauty. Her life and work were completely broken by this war yet she creates art every day and it is filled with the unstoppable will to overcome the evil.
No comments:
Post a Comment