Ocuppied / Unoccupied

Occupied / Unoccupied is a photography exhibition by Ukrainian photographer Iryna Sozanska. In the early days of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Iryna photographed her family as they lived under occupation and survived evacuation. Originally taken as family photographs, these images were carried through Russian checkpoints, a journey that changed their meaning and significance. Soon after, Iryna made the decision to leave Ukraine and now lives in Ferndown with her family. After three years in the UK, Iryna began sharing these memories. She brought together photographs taken during the occupation alongside contrasting moments from her family's life in east Dorset. In one image, children shelter from flying glass behind a mattress during an attack; in another, those same children play freely on the hills of Badbury Rings. Alongside the photographs are objects connected to Iryna's experience and journey, as well as a film that offers a direct and immersive insight into the first days of the war. Occupied / Unoccupied explores survival, loss and the challenge of adapting to a changed life. It reflects on rebuilding from the beginning, and on the support of those who opened their homes and communities to Ukrainians.