My story of Huliaipole does not begin with the town itself. It begins with the people.
With my grandmother, who always wishes me peace and happiness and still asks whether I’ve found my soulmate. With my father, who has spent his whole life finding a way forward even when there seems to be none. With my childhood in Temyrivka, my grandmother’s borshch, working in the garden, cherries, grapes, and long summer days.
These are the people who shaped my understanding of what home truly means.
When I began working on the exhibition “Huliaipole: My Little Homeland,” I realized I could not tell the story of a place alone. Without the people, it would be nothing more than a point on the map.
That is why this exhibition became deeply personal. It holds my family’s memories, the voices of my loved ones, and the stories they have carried through the years. Through them, I wanted to preserve what war can never take away: our memory, our identity, and our connection to the land we call home.
Among the exhibits are the stories of my grandmother Halyna and my father Yurii. They are not heroes in the traditional sense of the word. They are the people whose everyday care, hard work, and love gave me a sense of home that I carry with me wherever I go.
I hope that, as you read these stories, you will remember your own people—the ones who taught you to love the place you come from, who passed on simple but lasting values, and who continue to be your source of strength.
I invite you to discover my story and walk this journey with me.
📍 Zaporizhzhia Center for Contemporary Art
3 Tsentralnyi Boulevard
Open Wednesday–Sunday, 10:00 AM–7:00 PM
Free admission.
The exhibition runs until July 18.
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Supported by the Department of Culture and Tourism of the Zaporizhzhia City Council @zaporizhzhiacity
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