Through photography, installations, and poetry, Canadian artist Lesia Maruschak see ksto tell stories that explore trauma, collective memory, and humanity—creating space for a deep emotional connection with the viewer.
On Aug.15, 2024, the Institute for Contemporary Art Problems in Kyiv opened Lesia Maruschak’s exhibition “The Poetry of Our Children,” dedicated to Ukrainian minors who have been victims of forced displacement, abduction, and genocide. At the heart of the exhibition are 12 children’s portraits and a textile installation that rethinks these events. Video works are also presented, reflecting collective pain and transgenerational trauma. The project was realized with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation and aims to draw attention to the themes of genocide and memory.
An art project that opens the door to memory and trauma
Preparation for Lesia Maruschak’s Kyiv exhibition, titled “The Poetry of Our Children,” had been underway since 2022. The project was supported by the Canada Council for the Arts and initially had a different goal: to create a film and a website. However, when Yana Hrynko from the Holodomor Museum reached out to the artist, an opportunity emerged to present the project in Ukraine. With the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation, the exhibition was organized within a month.
The exhibition’s central message is an exploration of collective and individual trauma, particularly through children’s experiences. Maruschak emphasizes that her goal is to create a space where people can gather, learn something new about their history, and move together through trauma and healing—things that are often difficult to put into words.
The artist emphasizes the importance of collective participation in performances:
“I have always been deeply engaged with the theme of children and the trauma they experience during war. Everyone has their own trauma—whether it’s soldiers at the front or their families. I can’t fully understand this experience, but as a photographer and author I feel it is my responsibility to create a space where people can gather, remember their history, and work together toward the future. This is a place for learning, for memory, and ultimately for healing. My dream is to bring the exhibition to places in Ukraine devastated by the war, so people can come together and express what they have been through—even if that’s through movement, gestures, or dance. Anyone who feels pain and wants to express it can take part.”
12 portraits that connect eras
At the center of Maruschak’s exhibition are 12 large portraits of children. They symbolize three historical tragedies: the internment of Ukrainians in Canada during World War I, the Holodomor, and the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia during today’s war. Lesia wanted everyone who looks at these images to meet the children’s gaze—to feel and understand what they endured.
“I wanted people to be able to look into these children’s eyes, to feel their pain and what they lived through. The photographs were created using archival images and older analog techniques to add depth,” the artist notes.
A sacred space for reflection
Beyond the photographs, the exhibition invites viewers into a special space for reflecting on the tragedies faced by children. According to the photographer, this space is not just a place to view the works; it is built in the form of a symbolic circle:
“These are not just photographs on walls. This is a place where people can enter an atmosphere and reflect on the tragedies these children have endured. The space isbuilt as a sacred circle, symbolically guarding the pain of these stories,” Maruschak emphasizes.
At the center of this space are ritual elements: motanky (traditional protective dolls), a korovai (ceremonial bread), and candles—symbols of life, death, and unhealed trauma that these children carry in memory. Viewers can walk between these elements, touch them, reflect on the past, and even receive a piece of bread as a symbol of unity with history.
Memory and sacrifice for the sake of the future
An important source of inspiration for Lesia Maruschak was Serhii Zhadan’s poem “How We Built Our Homes…”. In it, the author explores the building of a home and a country, and the self-sacrifice required to protect these values. The theme is especially resonant in wartime, when people lose their homes and are willing to give their lives defending their land.
“The sacrifice shape our memory. That is why Serhii Zhadan’s poem became such a powerful inspiration for me. This experience—when people don’t just look at photographs, but live through them—is what matters most in the exhibition,” Lesia says.
Maruschak’sexhibition does not simply present photographs—it creates an emotional experience that helps viewers deeply engage with the themes of war, trauma, and collective memory. It is a place where people can gather, remember history, and reflect on what it means to live, to fight, and to lose for the sake of the future.
Lesia Maruschak wants her art to be interactive. She wants viewers to be able to touch her works and engage with them. In one of her performances on the Canadian prairies, she used a large canvas that changed under the influence of rain and wind. Afterwards, she added various elements—including pigments and wax—to transform it into a finished work. For the artist, the viewer plays a key role:
“My art is not behind glass, because I want people to be able to touch it—feel it physically. When a viewer interacts with a work, the effect becomes stronger, and the memory of what has been lived through remains. For me, art comes alive only when a person enters the space and becomes part of this dialogue,” the artist says.
Historical parallels between the Holodomor and the war in Ukraine
Lesia Maruschak, known for her work on the Holodomor, spoke about how that experience has shaped her perception of today’s war. She emphasizes that she sees clear parallels between those tragic events and Russia’s current invasion of Ukraine:
“While working on the Holodomor, I tried to give a voice to those who died. I was always left with questions about individual and collective responsibility. I thought for a long time: What would I have done in their place? Why didn’t the world respond to these crimes? And when the full-scale war began in 2022, it became clear to me—Russia never ended its intentions toward Ukraine. They returned, continuing a genocide that began in the 20th century.”
In Maruschak’s view, the war is a continuation of the same processes seen during the Holodomor, when the Ukrainian people were deliberately targeted for extermination.
“For me, this war is not simply a fight for territory or borders. It is genocide. The Holodomor was only the beginning, and now we see the continuation of this strategy of destroying the Ukrainian people. What people lived through during the Holodomor is reflected in today’s events, as Russia once again tries to dismantle the Ukrainian nation,” the artist says.
Photography as art and a way of telling stories
Lesia Maruschak is an artist for whom photography is not simply a way of capturing a moment, but a powerful instrument for expressing emotion and telling complex stories. Her approach is defined by depth and creative freedom, where traditional rules are often broken in pursuit of deeper meaning.
“For me, photographing is a way to capture what I feel and to articulate stories. I don’t tie myself to traditional rules—photography, for me, goes beyond classical canons. I like breaking rules, using different techniques, including analog processes. The camera is just a tool; the most important thing is the story it helps tell,” Lesia says. “Recently, I worked with cyanotype, printing the names of 20,000 children abducted by Russia onto English-language dictionaries from 1932–1933, the years of the Holodomor. It is a kind of protest against the fact that the word ‘Holodomor’ is still not recognized in the dictionaries of any English-speaking country. For me, photography is not limited to a technical process—it is an opportunity to show what matters.”
For LesiaMaruschak, photography is an art form that lives through an interaction of emotions, stories, and cultural influences. Sheuses the medium not only to preserve a moment,but to convey a narrative that transcends time:
“My lovefor Byzantine icons influences my work. An icon painter I worked with once asked why I paint over photographs. For me, a photograph is a static object—almost dead. I try to ‘wake’ it up, tochange the relationship between the viewer and the image so it becomes not justa moment, but a story.”
A pathinto photography: from family tradition to art
Lesia Maruschak, an artist with Ukrainian roots, did not come to photography right away, although it had always been part of her family history. Her grandfather collected cameras; her father filmed family movies; and her mother was a photographer. Today, the artist is working on a new project based on her father’s film collection.
As a child, her godfather gave her first camera, but for many years Lesia did not return to photography, wanting to “live in moments” rather than document them. Only when an important narrative emerged—one she wanted to express—didMaruschak return to the camera and painting, beginning to work as a photographer:
“Photography became a way for me to articulate narratives—the stories of my people and my personal story. These aren’t just pictures; they’re a way to preserve important moments in collective memory so they don’t disappear. And also to help others form memories about events and stories they may be hearing about for the first time. This is especially important for atrocities like the Holodomor, which is still unknown in many places and among many peoples.”
Her goal is to tell the stories of her community through photography—stories that remained unknown—and to preserve them in the collections of museums and libraries.
Lesia Maruschak’s new projects: memory, emotion, and art that brings people together
Lesia Maruschak continues to develop the art project presented in Kyiv and is also working on new ideas. Her practice extends beyond photography, combining installations, poetry, and strong social messages. Maruschak strives to create art that not only shows, but also evokes emotion—reaching viewers through a powerful emotional connection.
“The project in Kyiv will continue to develop, taking on a life of its own, as every work does. I also began a new project, ‘The Gathering,’ dedicated to two years of war. In it I use cyanotype to create 730 pages of dictionaries with the names of 20,000 children abducted by Russia. Where there is no name, an empty block remains, and some names repeat to show the scale. It becomes a huge carpet on the floor. In addition, I am creating a table-like installation with traditional Ukrainian rushnyky (embroidered cloths), symbolizing the children who are not at this table,” she says.
Emotional connection through art
Maruschak emphasizes the importance of creating an emotional connection between the viewer and the artwork. She notes that, unfortunately, today audiences can become “tired” or psychologically overwhelmed by the abundance of war photographs they see. Her goal is to keep working to hold their attention and engage them emotionally. She also aims to immerse viewers in a space where they can feel something deeper—touching pain and loss:
“People have become numb to photos from the war—they no longer stop to look at bombed-out buildings. But if a person can touch something, feel a connection and emotion, it changes their perception. My photography works when it brings tears, moves people, leaves a trace in memory, and foregrounds humanity.”
A sense of belonging and a collective purpose
Lesia Maruschak shares how important it is for her to be part of a community of professional photographers. For her, art is more than aesthetics—it is social action and political expression. Still, she sees herself as part of a collective where everyone has a shared goal.
“It is a great honor for me to be a member of the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers. Even though in some ways I’m on the periphery and my work is more political, it matters to know that I belong to a group of people who share the same goal—even if they approach it differently.”
Lesia Maruschak’s art lives through an emotional connection with the viewer, immersing them in a world of memory, pain, and hope. Her works create a space for reflection and healing, where viewers can not only see tragedy, but feel it on a deeper level—taking part in a dialogue between the past and the future.
This material was produced with the support of The Fritt Ord Foundation.
Lesia Maruschak is an artist and curator who, through photography, archival materials, and installations, explores the stories of colonized peoples and their transformations under geopolitical forces, as well as the individual and collective cultural consequences of exile. Her narrative exhibitions—combining static and dynamic imagery with both rough and delicate sculptural elements—have been presented in more than 65 museums, galleries, and art spaces worldwide. Her best-known project in Ukraine is dedicated to the Holodomor of 1932–1933 and is titled “Project MARIA.”
Worked on the piece:
Topic researcher, text author: Vira Labych
Photo editor: Viacheslav Ratynskyi
Literary editor: Yuliia Futei
