Born 1980 in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Documentary, reportage photographer, audiovisual artist.
…covid lockdowns for me were not very hard, but strange and filled me with other thoughts.
Daria Balabai
I have revived a unique moments in my life and I am sure in all mankind life.
I am a documentary photographer and want to share my pandemia`s investigation with public, I have revived a unique moments in my life and I am sure in all mankind life.
My covid story is very fruitful. I made order in my archives, and my mind also.
Because of information vacuum I started a big project that gave me a lot of interactive speaking with the photographers from all over the world. I investigated a lot of photo expressions about covid in different cities. It influenced my activity and make me feel better and revive these difficult times. I have a lot of ideas for the future and great motivation for the artistic upgrade. Using my previous photo gave me chance to do some interesting experiments. So covid lockdowns for me were not very hard, but strange and filled me with other thoughts.
I have a large photo archive of my city’s life before and during the pandemic, which inspired me to create a project “Happy ticket” about an imaginary future after the pandemic.
I used an experimental technique to simulate the protective scratch layer commonly used on lottery tickets. And here before the visitor there are such expected moments of post-quarantine life, our future common, social, artistic and cultural life after the end of the pandemic and quarantine restrictions. What is hidden under the scratch layer of the lottery ticket? Winning and the mad joy of having luck on your side, losing and shattering hopes, or devastation and uncertainty? What awaits us after the end of quarantines and restrictions that deter us from a pandemic? How will our lives change after a successful victory over the virus? These and other questions I asked myself while working on the project. This is a world where the city returns to its normal life, where the inhabitants of the city are not forced to wear masks. A world in which people do not calculate with whom and in what quantity it will be safe for them to spend time, to celebrate holidays. A world where noisy and bright events take place, crowded concerts, bike rides, fairs. This is the world that makes our lives full and full of emotions.
#365daysafter art project