“My grandmother lived in a war zone in Lugansk Oblast in eastern Ukraine, and she wasn’t safe there

anymore. Since she is sick and needs care, my parents decided to bring her to Estonia to live with them.

I have been documenting my grandmother for about a year. While at first I was interested in the changes she

would make in her new room, over time, my focus changed. I tried to connect with her through the photos I

was taking, because I speak neither Ukrainian nor Russian. As I observed my grandmother, I realised she

was not happy in her new home and that being with her family did not ease her longing for her real home,

where she had lived almost her whole life. I saw how her new surroundings seemed strange and

uncomfortable to her and how she felt like she didn’t belong here. She spends her days watching TV, hoping

to hear news that will allow her to finally go home.”

 

Curated by Laura Toots.