Returning to yourself: Dariya Zymenko’s emotional photo exhibition opens at NUJU

Dariya Zymenko, the main character of the photographs of the photo exhibition I Will Return, which is currently exhibited in the premises of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU), sought to turn the trauma received during the occupation of the Kyiv Region in 2022 into a tool for returning to oneself, into a creative experience. Dariya is a talented illustrator and a member of the SEMA Ukraine non-governmental organization, which unites women affected by conflict-related sexual violence. The exhibition features 15 photos taken by the talented photographer Oleksandra Zborovska.

The creators of the project set the goal of conveying the emotional state of the main character. The photo shows the family’s house, the basement, where people hid and where the only source of both light and warmth was a candle. Dariya Zymenko draws attention to the photo in which her ancestors are shown in the background, and the heroine’s hair seems to be intertwined with the symbolic tree of the family – she says that she felt the support of her ancestors.

“I didn’t say anything about the injury for a long time, and then I realized – you can’t keep silent about it. Therefore, an idea arose, which Oleksandra Zborovska helped me realize. This is a reflection of my own experience; it is therapeutic work in a certain way. I also want to testify about crimes, show that I am a living person, I really experienced it, and support those who have experienced similar experiences. I developed the idea, and then we met Oleksandra Zborovska and started photographing. We did not have any ideal concept, we had images and ideas, and we began to reproduce them in the process. Initially, a collage was planned, but Oleksandra and she took such wonderful photos that there was nothing to add; they turned out to be very complete and self-sufficient,” says Dariya Zymenko.

She said that she wanted to convey the conditions she experienced during the occupation.

“For instance, this is a state when you leave the body, or when you do not feel your body, you have a vague perception of reality, or, for example, a broken tree – and the internal state is broken. But at the same time, I wanted to show that despite difficult times, especially difficult psychologically, it is possible to get out of these moments. And you have to go out. For this, you need to make an effort to work, and you can come to some more positive moments for yourself. During my work, I received a lot of support, so much that I did not even expect. And this gave me the strength to realize this idea. I wouldn’t do anything myself. I was supported by SEMA Ukraine, and, in particular, Liudmyla Huseinova and other girls; I am very grateful to all of you for your support and your warmth,” says Dariya.

According to Oleksandra Zborovska, the photos were taken with a film camera because the film itself, unlike digital photography, can give an unexpected effect.

“We experimented a lot with shutter speed and exposure, shot both indoors and outdoors in the forest – it’s as if you give the space an opportunity to interact with a person,” Oleksandra notes.

The artists plan to continue working on the project, aiming to scale it up and make it more voluminous. At the next stage, talk about the recovery path. There will already be more color; it is planned to use digital photography and collage techniques.

“These works are amazing. In these photos, one feels that a person is in a disassembled state – different parts of the body seem to live separately, and the soul is separate. And to gather together again, one should have a lot of strength,” remarked the First Secretary of NUJU, Lina Kushch.

Human rights activist, citizen journalist, former political prisoner, and communications director of SEMA Ukraine Liudmyla Huseinova thanked the creators of the exhibition for their incredible works, as well as the NUJU for providing the site for the photo exhibition.

“Dariya Zymenko found the strength in herself, talent, and opportunity to show her stories. In a way, these works are unique. We support Dariya, support the project and are ready to provide any assistance to show the story of a very strong woman. We wish the authors of the project the best sites for exhibitions and will help to find them. We believe that this will happen very soon,” Liudmyla Huseinova emphasized.

NUJU Information Service