Iryna Vlasiuk

We are born in the body, but we do not always live in it. For many women, the body has become a field of struggle with social expectations, with trauma, with fear. During the war in Ukraine, this feeling takes on new depth: the body becomes both a place of vulnerability and strength, a witness to losses and a carrier of life that continues despite everything.

The project “Body is my home” explores the corporeality and self-awareness of women in war and offers a creative way to reconnect with their own bodies through drawing, photography and body-oriented practices.

Participants are invited to create a drawing: their body in the form of a house, as they feel it. Before drawing, there will be light practices, breathing, which help to concentrate on bodily sensations. Prompt questions are also provided: do you feel your body as a home?, how does this house feel from the outside, and how does it feel from the inside?, what kind of home is it?, are you comfortable in it? and others. I ask you to comment on the drawing with your voice or text.

This house becomes a metaphor for the psychological state and feeling of your body.

Through a series of questions, each participant explores the internal “rooms” as places of memories, pain, joy, fear and peace. In this way, bodily experience turns into architecture - fragile but real.

After drawing and becoming aware of my feelings, I photograph the participants to record this experience.

At a time when war forces us to leave our homes, lose space, the feeling of the ground under our feet, the body remains the only place we always carry with us. But for many it also becomes a danger zone, oversaturated with stress, tension, anxiety. The project “Body is my home” aims to help women return to the body as a space of life, not survival.

A series of documentary photographs shows improvised pet graves with toys, homemade crosses and plaques. They are not decorated according to rules, not approved by religious or social institutions. They are not accompanied by marble and bronze. These are not official places of remembrance, but deeply personal gestures of love and care that continue even after death.

The animal here is not an object, not property, not a "little brother", but a family member, worthy of mourning, presence, memory. These graves are an ethical gesture in response to a life lived together.

This series is about love that does not need words.

Self-portraits have always been a zone of discomfort for me — both technically and psychologically. In previous shoots, I sought control: first I took digital shots to imagine what the film result would look like, built the composition, caught the pose in the last seconds. This process was intense, physically exhausting, and at the same time — too rational. I was troubled by the idea of ​​​​the “right” shot, a fixed look at myself.

This time I decided to surrender completely to the process. I shot on film, using the multiple exposure technique - I shot one film twice in such a way that the images overlapped one another randomly. I did not remember the order in which I took the shots, I did not see the angles — I could not predict the result. This shoot turned into an experience of complete trust, when I was observing, not directing.

I felt confused in the process. It was difficult to let go of the habit of reflecting myself through others — in this work I remained as if in a dialogue with emptiness. This state became a reflection of my general psycho-emotional background: I have a major depressive disorder, psychogenic pain. Work on the series fell on the period of the corridor of eclipses — a time when fear, instability, and internal chaos were especially acute.

Despite everything, this shoot became a resource. The process of taking self-portraits helped me return to my body, ground myself, and feel “here and now.” Renunciation of control made it possible to see myself in a different light.

This series is about self-observation, about fragility and acceptance. About healing not through force, but through permission: for spontaneity, for chaos, for ambiguity.

The Tablets project invites viewers to look into places that usually remain beyond our attention - public restrooms. Simple and utilitarian at first glance, these spaces hide a multi-layered life that speaks to us through walls written with words and symbols. It is at once a space for confession and anonymous dialogue. Here, the intimate intersects with the public, and what usually remains unspoken takes on physical form.

The Tablets project is a reflection of the thoughts and moods of society. It demonstrates Kyiv as a living organism, where even the most hidden corners bear traces of human experiences, dreams, fears and hopes. This is a story about how the city speaks to us through those who dared to leave a piece of themselves on these walls, a reminder that the real life of the city is hidden in its least noticeable spaces, where every anonymous "reply" is part of a larger conversation.

This series of photographs is an invitation to reflection. Can we see in these inscriptions a collective portrait of society? And how do these anonymous expressions of creativity shape our perception of Kyiv and its inhabitants? What does this say about ourselves?

Trauma, stress from war primarily affect the body. It shrinks, becomes numb, ceases to be felt, freezes or, on the contrary, trembles. Through grounding techniques, a person can reconnect with the body, which is fundamental to restoring mental balance. Contact with nature, hugs, breathing, touch, movement, communication - such simple and very effective methods that contribute to the improvement of our physical and mental state. Walking and interacting with natural elements as a way to restore resilience. Yoga and breathing practices that help the body relax and feel renewed. Hugs, touch and body psychotherapy as a basis for the return of sensitivity blocked by traumatic conditions.

This project serves as a reminder of the importance of taking care of the body and mind during traumatic events and the role of nature in this process.

A series of self-portraits taken during the life cycle of a single flower.

In the images, the flower covering the face and body is a metaphor for protecting, but at the same time - opening oneself to the world. The flower represents vitality, femininity and rebirth, and interacting with it is an act of creating your own space of acceptance and love. A bruise on the body emphasizes two key themes - vulnerability and strength, it is like a memory of life's trials, a testimony that even with a wound, a person can be his own best source of inspiration. There is an integration of physical reality with spiritual transformation, where trauma can become a source of personal growth.

This series visualizes the idea of ​​passing through a portal as a metaphor for transformation and rebirth. 12 images - a number symbolizing world harmony and order, exit from darkness, purification, a new beginning after trials.

The path of transformation begins with awareness of one's own inner strength and potential. Images of portals symbolize mental and spiritual evolution. The light is in each of us, and after passing through our personal tunnels, we rekindle it and become guides for others. The human figure against the background of darkness represents the moment of meeting oneself, with one's essence. Her bareness shows that true transformation requires shedding outer shells, defenses, and roles, leaving only a pure core that glows from within.

Prince Rupert drops are frozen drops of tempered glass that have an extremely high internal mechanical stress. They are formed when molten glass is dropped into cold water. They have extraordinary strength - they can withstand a hammer blow to the head of the drop, but if the tail is damaged even slightly, the drop explodes from the inside.

The mind and body of a person in war are constantly exposed to psychological pressure and physical danger, and the person is forced to adapt and cope with this incredible load. However, sometimes even a small thing becomes the last drop and can destroy. But like glass that can be remelted, a person collects himself piece by piece in order to rediscover his integrity.

In today's unstable world, which is developing and transforming at a fast pace, where there are many wars, conflicts and cataclysms, it can be difficult to navigate and adapt to these changes. First of all, it is reflected in our psycho-emotional state. In my project States, I consider the body as a reflection of our subconscious, emotions and experiences. The filming of this project was a kind of non-verbal communication between me and the heroes of my works. After all, we can feel each other, empathize and heal together.

According to the principle of metaphorical cards, each viewer has the opportunity to freely interpret the works, highlighting for himself those aspects that are important to him at the moment, in order to better understand his manifestations and relationships with others. By analyzing the image, the observer can better understand his inner emotional landscape. It is a kind of art therapy, a platform for reflection and self-discovery through art, an opportunity to find inner support in a rapidly changing world.