Embroiderer

Picture of a cat left alone in the apartment. March. Irpin.

Svitlana Gryb, 2022 | Kyiv, Ukraine

The girl in the picture is almost naked, which means her insecurity and vulnerability to the enemy. She embroiders a military uniform with the pixels looking like flowers. It's more than a uniform now — it's a talisman. Her ribbons carry the words devoted to the peaceful life she dreams about, taken from a Ukrainian folk song: Oh, on the mountain rye, there are thin mowings; And who will unravel the young girl's braids? The Cossack will unravel, the Cossack will weave, The Cossack will lead the girl to the marriage.

Learn more about Svitlana’s work here.