Through the cracks within us light penetrates

Since Feb 22, Ukraine has faced war and devastation. Despite the destruction, the ruins symbolize resilience, hope, and the promise of renewal. Though fragile, like the people, these remnants stand as a testament to the enduring strength of life and hope.

"From Darkness, Light Emerges."

Since February 2022, Ukraine has been facing a devastating war. The destroyed buildings are countless, scattered across the landscape, reminding us that chaos exists, that life has abandoned these devastated places, these structures torn apart by shells. Scenes of ruins, of gaping walls, of collapsed roofs, of furniture scattered on the ground, of lives also fractured.

If destruction fascinates me, it is not because of its morbid aspect; it is not truly anxiety-inducing in my eyes; on the contrary, it reminds me that life once inhabited these places. It evokes a certain melancholy, a reminiscence of what life was like in these places before—certainly of what was and probably will never be again, but also of what will be. The hope of renewal.

Families, individuals lived in or visited these buildings. Places of life, work, or leisure. These buildings are filled with stories, the stories of the events that took place there. "Through the cracks in us, light penetrates" sounds like a message of hope and life.

The symbol that from the depths of an abyss, light can emerge, that darkness cannot destroy hope, that death cannot contain the spark of life. These ruins evoke our own vulnerability, they reflect our own lives, so fragile as well, our own tragedies.

The light penetrates, finds its way, inexorably, just as life has done for millennia. These buildings, like the Ukrainian people, these women and men, are damaged, broken, but remain standing, cracked but not collapsed.

So it is not about celebrating destruction here, but rather renewal and better days ahead. Life stronger than destruction. Hope stronger than despair. Light stronger than darkness