A THOUSAND WORDS- Erica Kelly Martin & Rollence Patugan > First Place- Alena Grom "Alyona"
First Place- Alena Grom "Alyona"
Alena Grom/Alyona
FIRST PLACE
FIRST PLACE
Jurors Erica Martin Kelly and Rollence Patugan Review 1st Place Winner Alena Grom image "Alyona":
"This powerful photograph creates a striking contrast between the subject and the scenes depicted in the background. The juxtaposition of a ruined home suggests a story of loss—perhaps due to war or a natural disaster—inviting the viewer to wonder if the person in the foreground once lived there. The serene, idyllic landscape in the second background photo evokes a time before the destruction, possibly hinting at a more peaceful era. Together, these elements tell a story of resilience, offering a poignant reflection on how individuals or communities endure despite harsh circumstances.
The cold, gloomy weather in the foreground complements the somber setting, while the warm, inviting scene in the background photograph creates a dynamic contrast, heightening the tension between the perceived reality and a more hopeful past. This intriguing photograph raises more questions than it answers, but perhaps that is part of its power. After all, closure is not always attainable in life, and sometimes the questions themselves are what leave the most lasting impact."
Stolen Spring
"I live in Bucha and work in Irpin. After the Russian occupation, these cities were destroyed. The military landscape has become my reality and routine. Every day I see people who are restoring their cities, their personal lives from the ruins and looking into the future. I created a series of photographs in a historical dialogue with images by Polish photographer Michael Nash, who captured how the photographer used a decorative backdrop to mask the ruins of Warsaw during World War II in 1945-1946. The heroes of my photographs are women who became victims of Russian aggression.
The occupation continued in the spring, people who survived this tragic period did not notice how spring passed, how chestnuts and lilies of the valley bloomed, birds flew in. They were deprived not only of their homes, loved ones, work, health, but also part of their lives. IDPs from Donbass and Crimea have a second tragic spring. A stolen spring is a stolen life. Each photo is a personal tragedy, but it is also a life-affirming story of a survivor, a hope that Ukraine will rise from the ruins."
Ukrainian artist and documentary photographer Alena Grom was born in Donetsk. In April 2014, she was compelled to leave her hometown due to the military conflict in Eastern Ukraine. Since 2017, she has resided in Bucha, a town near Kyiv. Following the full-scale invasion of Russia in February 2022, Grom and her family became refugees for a second time but returned after Bucha was
These experiences have profoundly influenced her artistic practice. Photography has served as a lifeline for her, allowing her to confront the traumatic realities of war. Since 2016, Alena Grom has centered her work on locations affected by military aggression, capturing the lives of war victims, migrants, refugees, and
Grom operates at the confluence of social reporting and conceptual photography, often working on her themes from the front lines. She perceives her “mission” as documenting the lives of individuals caught in the “gray zones” or near military conflicts. Through her photographs, she aims to inform the global community about the complexities of wartime life.
Importantly, her images do not exist merely as illustrations of sorrow or grief. One of her primary themes is the persistence of life amidst adversity.
Alena Grom has received recognition as a laureate and winner in numerous international photography contests. To see her CV go to her website.
Jurors Erica Martin Kelly and Rollence Patugan ask Alena Grom, "Where are the locations of both environments?"
Alena Grom say, "I live in Bucha and work in Irpin. After the Russian occupation, these cities were destroyed. I created the photo project "Stolen Spring" in the de-occupied Bucha district of Kyiv Oblast. I took the photograph of Alena in Irpin, amidst the ruins of a house in her hometown."
Jurors: "What significance do the two locations have with the subject?"
Grom says, "The heroines of my photographs are women who have become victims of Russian aggression. They have lost not only their homes, loved ones, jobs, and health but also parts of their lives. One of them, Alena, a resident of Irpin, spent the first weeks in her city. She witnessed how the Russian troops attacked Irpin, and she saw neighbors and loved ones get injured. Under bombardment, she left the city on foot with her son and her mother in a wheelchair. After the de-occupation, Alena returned home with her family and saw that their city was destroyed. By the time of liberation, 1,000 buildings had been damaged in Irpin, which accounts for 71% of the city's buildings. Alena's house was also damaged during the fighting.
The woman stands amidst the ruins of a house in her hometown, symbolizing not only physical destruction but also the profound loss that she and other residents of Irpin will have to confront. These ruins embody shattered destinies and irreparable losses, and despite the horrors of war, Alena becomes a symbol of resilience and courage. This image serves as a reminder of the importance of memory, restoration, and the necessity of preserving human dignity and hope for a better future."
Jurors ask, "Why did you create this image and series?"
Grom says, "I created this series of photographs after the cities in the Bucha district were destroyed during the Russian occupation. The military landscape became my reality and routine, and every day I witness how people are rebuilding their cities and personal lives from the ruins and looking toward the future. My work engages in a historical dialogue with the photographs of Polish photographer Michał Naas, who captured the process of masking the ruins of Warsaw in 1945-1946. The heroes of my pictures are women who have become victims of Russian aggression, who survived the occupation and did not notice how spring passed. They lost their homes, loved ones, jobs, health, and parts of their lives, as for the displaced persons from Donbas and Crimea, this is their second tragic spring. A stolen spring is a stolen life. Each photograph represents a personal tragedy, but it is also an uplifting story of survival and hope that Ukraine can rise from the ruins."
Jurors ask, "What would you like viewers to take away when viewing your work?"
Grom says, "I would like viewers to take away an understanding of the depth of suffering and loss experienced by women who have become victims of Russian aggression from viewing my work. My goal is to show that despite the tragedies, people continue striving for recovery and a new life. I hope my photographs help to see in these stories not only pain but also strength, resilience, and faith in Ukraine's future. I want viewers to reflect on the importance of support, understanding, and solidarity with those who find themselves in difficult circumstances. Each image is a call to remember those who are suffering and a reminder that life, despite all adversities, continues, and new hope is born."
www.alenagrom.com
www.instagram.com/grom_alena/
____________________________
SECOND PLACE:
https://laphotocurator.com/a-thousand-words-erica-kelly-martin-rollence-patugan/second-place-eric-renard-siesta-in-marrakesh----/1
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
https://laphotocurator.com/a-thousand-words-erica-kelly-martin-rollence-patugan/honorable-mentions-kathryn-dunlevie-ascension-kimberly-schneider-koan-in-blue-larissa-rolley-to-the-river-kimberly-fongheiser-splash-of-freedom-eric-davidove-medical-01----/1
BEST SERIES:
https://laphotocurator.com/a-thousand-words-erica-kelly-martin-rollence-patugan/best-series-beth-galton/1
EXHIBITION #1
https://laphotocurator.com/a-thousand-words-erica-kelly-martin-rollence-patugan/exhibition-1/1
EXHIBITION #2
https://laphotocurator.com/a-thousand-words-erica-kelly-martin-rollence-patugan/exhibition-2/1
EXHIBITION #3
https://laphotocurator.com/a-thousand-words-erica-kelly-martin-rollence-patugan/exhibition-3/1
"This powerful photograph creates a striking contrast between the subject and the scenes depicted in the background. The juxtaposition of a ruined home suggests a story of loss—perhaps due to war or a natural disaster—inviting the viewer to wonder if the person in the foreground once lived there. The serene, idyllic landscape in the second background photo evokes a time before the destruction, possibly hinting at a more peaceful era. Together, these elements tell a story of resilience, offering a poignant reflection on how individuals or communities endure despite harsh circumstances.
The cold, gloomy weather in the foreground complements the somber setting, while the warm, inviting scene in the background photograph creates a dynamic contrast, heightening the tension between the perceived reality and a more hopeful past. This intriguing photograph raises more questions than it answers, but perhaps that is part of its power. After all, closure is not always attainable in life, and sometimes the questions themselves are what leave the most lasting impact."
Stolen Spring
"I live in Bucha and work in Irpin. After the Russian occupation, these cities were destroyed. The military landscape has become my reality and routine. Every day I see people who are restoring their cities, their personal lives from the ruins and looking into the future. I created a series of photographs in a historical dialogue with images by Polish photographer Michael Nash, who captured how the photographer used a decorative backdrop to mask the ruins of Warsaw during World War II in 1945-1946. The heroes of my photographs are women who became victims of Russian aggression.
The occupation continued in the spring, people who survived this tragic period did not notice how spring passed, how chestnuts and lilies of the valley bloomed, birds flew in. They were deprived not only of their homes, loved ones, work, health, but also part of their lives. IDPs from Donbass and Crimea have a second tragic spring. A stolen spring is a stolen life. Each photo is a personal tragedy, but it is also a life-affirming story of a survivor, a hope that Ukraine will rise from the ruins."
Ukrainian artist and documentary photographer Alena Grom was born in Donetsk. In April 2014, she was compelled to leave her hometown due to the military conflict in Eastern Ukraine. Since 2017, she has resided in Bucha, a town near Kyiv. Following the full-scale invasion of Russia in February 2022, Grom and her family became refugees for a second time but returned after Bucha was
These experiences have profoundly influenced her artistic practice. Photography has served as a lifeline for her, allowing her to confront the traumatic realities of war. Since 2016, Alena Grom has centered her work on locations affected by military aggression, capturing the lives of war victims, migrants, refugees, and
Grom operates at the confluence of social reporting and conceptual photography, often working on her themes from the front lines. She perceives her “mission” as documenting the lives of individuals caught in the “gray zones” or near military conflicts. Through her photographs, she aims to inform the global community about the complexities of wartime life.
Importantly, her images do not exist merely as illustrations of sorrow or grief. One of her primary themes is the persistence of life amidst adversity.
Alena Grom has received recognition as a laureate and winner in numerous international photography contests. To see her CV go to her website.
Jurors Erica Martin Kelly and Rollence Patugan ask Alena Grom, "Where are the locations of both environments?"
Alena Grom say, "I live in Bucha and work in Irpin. After the Russian occupation, these cities were destroyed. I created the photo project "Stolen Spring" in the de-occupied Bucha district of Kyiv Oblast. I took the photograph of Alena in Irpin, amidst the ruins of a house in her hometown."
Jurors: "What significance do the two locations have with the subject?"
Grom says, "The heroines of my photographs are women who have become victims of Russian aggression. They have lost not only their homes, loved ones, jobs, and health but also parts of their lives. One of them, Alena, a resident of Irpin, spent the first weeks in her city. She witnessed how the Russian troops attacked Irpin, and she saw neighbors and loved ones get injured. Under bombardment, she left the city on foot with her son and her mother in a wheelchair. After the de-occupation, Alena returned home with her family and saw that their city was destroyed. By the time of liberation, 1,000 buildings had been damaged in Irpin, which accounts for 71% of the city's buildings. Alena's house was also damaged during the fighting.
The woman stands amidst the ruins of a house in her hometown, symbolizing not only physical destruction but also the profound loss that she and other residents of Irpin will have to confront. These ruins embody shattered destinies and irreparable losses, and despite the horrors of war, Alena becomes a symbol of resilience and courage. This image serves as a reminder of the importance of memory, restoration, and the necessity of preserving human dignity and hope for a better future."
Jurors ask, "Why did you create this image and series?"
Grom says, "I created this series of photographs after the cities in the Bucha district were destroyed during the Russian occupation. The military landscape became my reality and routine, and every day I witness how people are rebuilding their cities and personal lives from the ruins and looking toward the future. My work engages in a historical dialogue with the photographs of Polish photographer Michał Naas, who captured the process of masking the ruins of Warsaw in 1945-1946. The heroes of my pictures are women who have become victims of Russian aggression, who survived the occupation and did not notice how spring passed. They lost their homes, loved ones, jobs, health, and parts of their lives, as for the displaced persons from Donbas and Crimea, this is their second tragic spring. A stolen spring is a stolen life. Each photograph represents a personal tragedy, but it is also an uplifting story of survival and hope that Ukraine can rise from the ruins."
Jurors ask, "What would you like viewers to take away when viewing your work?"
Grom says, "I would like viewers to take away an understanding of the depth of suffering and loss experienced by women who have become victims of Russian aggression from viewing my work. My goal is to show that despite the tragedies, people continue striving for recovery and a new life. I hope my photographs help to see in these stories not only pain but also strength, resilience, and faith in Ukraine's future. I want viewers to reflect on the importance of support, understanding, and solidarity with those who find themselves in difficult circumstances. Each image is a call to remember those who are suffering and a reminder that life, despite all adversities, continues, and new hope is born."
www.alenagrom.com
www.instagram.com/grom_alena/
____________________________
SECOND PLACE:
https://laphotocurator.com/a-thousand-words-erica-kelly-martin-rollence-patugan/second-place-eric-renard-siesta-in-marrakesh----/1
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
https://laphotocurator.com/a-thousand-words-erica-kelly-martin-rollence-patugan/honorable-mentions-kathryn-dunlevie-ascension-kimberly-schneider-koan-in-blue-larissa-rolley-to-the-river-kimberly-fongheiser-splash-of-freedom-eric-davidove-medical-01----/1
BEST SERIES:
https://laphotocurator.com/a-thousand-words-erica-kelly-martin-rollence-patugan/best-series-beth-galton/1
EXHIBITION #1
https://laphotocurator.com/a-thousand-words-erica-kelly-martin-rollence-patugan/exhibition-1/1
EXHIBITION #2
https://laphotocurator.com/a-thousand-words-erica-kelly-martin-rollence-patugan/exhibition-2/1
EXHIBITION #3
https://laphotocurator.com/a-thousand-words-erica-kelly-martin-rollence-patugan/exhibition-3/1
