A Displaced People-VOL 1:

A Displaced People is a modern photographic project investigating the ongoing conflict caused by the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The project uses found imagery and AI technology to create scenes of war that simultaneously happened and did not. The use of AI here helps fill in gaps of representation and memory while also rupturing the image's veracity.

In a society saturated with information, it’s possible to live through events in a profoundly intimate way without ever experiencing them first-hand. By gathering images and research from global news outlets, protests, and the social media accounts of those on the ground, A Displaced People explores what war looks and feels like in the post-truth, interconnected age.                                                                                             

AI has been used to expand existing images of war here to explore the machines’ understanding of what war is and what it looks like in the modern world. Having previously been used to create propaganda and false imagery, A Displaced People seeks to reapproach this new technology to understand what has been

The project is split into five subthemes; “frontlines” looking into how the combat is being fought in different ways; “the home front”, and how the home front has changed as the people adapt to living in the remanence of what was the one place they called home; “Being united” as this came to me for witnessing the passion that the Ukrainian people had for there when I went to the protests; “after effects”, looking into the effects the war will have on not only the soldiers but also many millions of people who have had fled the country. Finally, the last theme I wanted to look into is “displaced people” This term was first heard when I interviewed for this project when I was talking about the refugee crisis that has emerged from this war where the term ‘Displaced people’ was used which I found was a much more suitable word for them as 8.1 million Ukrainians have been displaced from their homes.

Warning:

Some of the images in this series contain graphic imagery, and some viewers may find the work disturbing or upsetting.

Viewer discretion is advised.