Occupied/Unoccupied

The Occupied / Unoccupied exhibition by Iryna Sozanska was held at the Russell-Cotes Museum (Jan–Mar 2026), exploring life under occupation and displacement through photography, alongside a video installation and a piece of a Russian missile.

The Occupied / Unoccupied exhibition by Iryna Sozanska was held at the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum from 20 January to 8 March 2026.

The exhibition presented a deeply personal account of life under Russian occupation in Ukraine and the experience of displacement to the UK. Through a series of intimate and evocative photographs, it explored the contrast between fear and uncertainty during the first weeks of war and the gradual return to safety and everyday life in Dorset.

Alongside the photographs, the exhibition included a video installation featuring original sounds recorded during the occupation, as well as a fragment of a Russian missile brought from Ukraine. Together, these elements created an immersive narrative of survival, memory, and resilience.