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You know war is coming, it’s on your doorstep.
You only have a few minutes to pack and run.
What would you take with you?
Belongings is a project that examines this question by documenting the people of Ukraine who found themselves fleeing their homes due to the war, and the objects they hold dear in this journey.
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The ongoing war in Ukraine has already caused millions of people to lose their homes and changed their lives completely. According to UN and IOM, over 8 millions of people are internally displaced in Ukraine and almost 8 million registered as refugees in Europe alone.
While this situation develops for more than a year now, the global media audience is becoming indifferent and not as reactive as in the beginning. While people affected by this war still suffer – both on the outside and on the inside.
Israeli multimedia social-artist Rom Barnea and his team had documented over 80 women, children and men who found shelter in Poland and Israel.
Belongings was premiered in an interactive, performative exhibition in Old Jaffa, Israel in late 2022 and is set to be presented in various locations in 2023.
Jegor and Tygr. Both fled Mariupol to Warsaw
Margarita, fled Kamianske "I took the clown's nose with me, because I was sure that it would come in handy".
Mariana, from Lviv – "This is my most valuable. Everything else didn't matter, it was just things. The most valuable things we can pack in 1 backpack"
Ella, film producer from Kyiv. Chose to bring her notebook with her
Lesya, carrying her passport and A Ukrainian flag given to her by her sister
Nataliia, 59, Irpin "so I looked around and made the decision just to take the most essential things I could not live without. I packed everything in this little bag and a rucksack".
Maria, Mariupol – "you also have a constant feeling that you are not good enough. You want to take a coffee, and a cake and then a thought comes through your mind: “Well, here I want a cake, but there people are hiding in basements, they have no food, no water and no medicines. How could you even dream about coffee?”
Oleksiey, 8 pointing at a handmade self-created play book that he has prepared for his journey
Anna, 9, holding her favorite pillow
Natalka holding her cherished easter eggs
Irina holding one of 12 cats she rescued from Ukraine
Julia holding the only belongings she and her sister managed to bring with them. the two sisters hid in a basement for over a month, for fear of Russian aggression.
Anna, 9, Fled from Kyiv. Took her self sewn toys with her
Maria’s three “divorce” rings. Maria fled from Mariupol
Ella’s notebook.
Natalia, Kyiv – "The drawing with the image of my future child on the background of the Ukrainian flag – its very touching and symbolic. This image was drawn by the daughter of my sister before my departure from Ukraine".
Oksana, Kiyv – "These are memories about my kids. I can't say why these bracelets are so important to me. Because kids are the most important. These are the first things that were on them after their birth".
Oleksiey, 8 holding his handmade self-created play book
Valeriya, 7, with her fox
Juan Gabriel. Israeli-Peruvian medical clown volunteering at a humanitarian aid center near the Polish-Ukrainian border
Alexandra, Katya and "Pingui"
Angelika and Oksana, both fled Ukraine and recently arrived in Warsaw
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Amongst hypermedia, graphs and reports, Belongings places individuals who have been displaced, and the objects they bear with them in the foreground.
Seeking out remains over ruins, Belongings constructs a vernacular perspective to the experience of migrating and belonging, through the minor possessions that have been carried on the exodus. Belongings frames the personal anchors thrown desperately into the open sea of displacement.
Belongings aims to amplify personal voices from within the current crisis, enabling refugees' innermost perspectives to aid us, the viewers, better understand their experience, current position, aspirations and inner conflicts; and to them – our participants – a way of expression. A platform to speak out.
Belongings Exhibition in Old Jaffa, Israel. It was supported by The Polish Institute in Tel Aviv and Embassy of Ukraine in Israel. Proceeds were donated to NATAN Worldwide Disaster Relief
About the artist:
Rom Barnea is Tel-Aviv based photographer, multidisciplinary cultural entrepreneur, social activist and curator that works with refugees, people with special needs; peace and climate activists.
Creative director at Pendulum creative agency.
Julia Maria Koszewska
Project producer – Julia is a sociologist (PhD) and human rights activist. She is also a cultural and digital diplomacy practitioner and Wikipedian. She brings synergy between the unexpected, translates tiny details to broader perspective, and ensures the documentation is always precise and research best made.
Natalka Dovha
Writing partner – Natalka is a Ukrainian artist currently based in Warsaw.
Photographer, journalist, curator, cultural animator.
Careful listener and attentive observer, using culture to build bridges among different people and cultures. Being a migrant herself she creates projects that give others the opportunity of smooth integration into Polish society.
Tasha Karlyuka
Writing partner – Tasha Karlyuka was born and raised in Kyiv, where she graduated from university and then graduate school in psychology. She divided her time between Tel-Aviv and Kyiv, but fled with her family back to Israel after Russia attacked Ukraine in February. She works as a journalist, screenwriter, and writer.