Vasylyna Vrublesvka (UA/FR, b. 1982) first moved to Kyiv after the infamous Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Now based between Kyiv and Paris, she began working with documentary photography in 2002 – as a means to study childhood, and the influence of a person’s surroundings on their development. Alongside both commercial work and personal projects, Vrublevska has worked with cultural institutions as a lecturer and researcher, with a particular interest in the resurgence of religious events in Western Ukraine: traditions that had previously been persecuted in the Soviet era. Since 2022, the artist has been dedicated to the project of documenting events in Ukraine.
Despite the abstract nature of the photographs, The Garden of Nothing is a documentary project that demonstrates Vasylyna’s unique artistic vision and approach to photography. The series reflects both the artist’s personal experiences and the collective experiences of Ukrainians witnessing the war unfold on their land.
The deliberate over-exposure and chemical interaction with photographic film produces abstract landscapes of rich colour palettes and optical textured surfaces. This shift in execution effectively transforms the mediation of the work. Beyond their strong visual impact, these photographs testify Vasylyna’s ability to skilfully employ the materiality of film.
The title of the series The Garden of Nothing, is derived from the biblical legend of the expulsion from Paradise. Vasylyna Vrublevska poses the question how it feels to witness the destruction of one’s personal paradise from the inside. The artist invites us to witness the fragile garden of nothing and learn to appreciate its refined aesthetic quality.
Artist is part of the special presentation Essential Goods: Contemporary Ukrainian Photography
