Still Life Shortlist

There was a year when my life was put on hold. There was a long winter and a long illness. I could not walk, every breath was difficult and I felt like I was losing hope on a good outcome. In my house, everything was arranged for me so that I could reach it from a wheelchair – my small refrigerator, my microwave oven, my oxygen machine. My bath was converted for a disabled person and someone had to help me with food and medications. I was trapped at home, surrounded by the trappings of the illness, and tried to find sources of positive emotions and optimism in my surroundings. I found a source of inspiration in a book by Patricia Schultz: 1000 Places to See Before You Die. Thinking of future exotic travels, I coloured my home world.

Born and raised in Belarus, so my youth years were spent in the former USSR. Now I live in Chicago and travel every chance I get. Photography became my passion during very difficult period in my life, and nowadays you can rarely see me walking around without my camera in my hands. In my works, I try to reflect my personal perspective on places I’ve seen and unique experiences that affected my life.