From War to Dorset: Ukrainian photographer’s powerful exhibition reveals life between two worlds

Occupied / Unoccupied is a solo exhibition exploring occupation, displacement, and rebuilding life after war. Through photographs, personal objects, and video, it tells one Ukrainian family's journey from Hostomel to Dorset.

Wimborne’s award-winning Museum of East Dorset will host Occupied / Unoccupied, a deeply moving photography exhibition by Ukrainian photographer Iryna Sozanska, whose work captures the fragile line between survival and renewal.

In the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Iryna photographed her family as they lived under occupation and survived evacuation. These images – once simple family snapshots -became symbols of endurance, carried through Russian checkpoints as her family fled their home. Now, living in Ferndown, Iryna revisits those photographs alongside new images of her family’s life in Dorset, revealing the quiet resilience of rebuilding a life in a new country.

In one photograph, her children shelter behind a mattress as glass shatters during an attack; in another, those same children play freely on the hills of Badbury Rings. The contrast is stark, yet profoundly human – a testament to the strength of ordinary families living through extraordinary times.

Alongside the photographs are personal objects connected to Iryna’s journey and a short film offering an immersive glimpse into the first days of the war. Together, they form a powerful reflection on loss, survival and the meaning of home and on the kindness of those who opened their doors to displaced Ukrainians.

Iryna Sozanska, now based in Ferndown, said: “Photography became my way to hold on – to remember, to process, and to rebuild. These images are about finding light again, even after everything changes.”

Millie Lake Curator at Museum of East Dorset added: “Drawn to quiet and intimate moments connected to childhood, parenthood and the idea of home, Iryna’s work explores themes of war, displacement, memory, and resilience. Her photography shines a light on how people continue living through uncertainty, and how a sense of home can be carried, lost, and slowly rebuilt.“

Occupied / Unoccupied runs from 20 June to 26 September 2026 inclusive at the Museum of East Dorset, Wimborne Minster. Entry to the exhibition is free with normal museum entry.

For more information visit: https://museumofeastdorset.co.uk/occupied-unoccupied