COMRADES INTERRUPTED 2022-2024
In February 2022, Vladimir Putin reignited a dangerous fantasy of restoring the Soviet Union by invading the sovereign nation of Ukraine. Within Russia, the truth was obscured by propaganda that banned words like “invasion” and “war,” replacing reality with absurd justifications—from fabricated Nazi threats to distorted narratives about LGBTQ+ communities—to legitimize what was called a “special military operation.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s urgent plea to the world was simple yet profound: help expose the truth to the Russian people. He implored global citizens to share images and stories of the war, hoping to awaken those blinded by state-controlled misinformation to the suffering inflicted upon their Ukrainian neighbors, friends, and family.
Answering this call, I embarked on an unorthodox and deeply personal journey. Using only my cell phone, I entered online spaces where Russians sought anonymous, intimate connections. Through photographs, handmade signs, political cartoons, and children’s drawings shared in private conversations, I aimed to break through barriers of fear and misinformation, sparking direct, intimate dialogues with strangers.
What began as a brief interaction evolved into a yearlong process—moments of connection ranging from fleeting to profound—revealing a shared humanity trapped amid political lies and manipulation. These exchanges opened my eyes to the Russian people’s vulnerability: not as villains, but as pawns caught in a brutal geopolitical game.
This body of work—comprised of cell phone screen captures documenting these encounters—stands as both an artistic process and a call to empathy. It invites reflection on love and loneliness, war and peace, and the enduring human need for connection amidst conflict.
