FOTODOK x WORM: What the Earth Holds – Soil as Witness in Ukrainian Contemporary Art

What does soil mean in a time of war? In this talk, we will explore how contemporary Ukrainian artists use earth – literally and symbolically – to speak about memory, loss, resistance, and care.

From personal gardens to mass graves, from occupied land to healing rituals, soil appears again and again as a powerful material in the face of destruction. Together, we will look at works by diverse contemporary Ukrainian artists, whose practices reveal how deeply land and identity are connected in Ukraine’s cultural and political landscape.

Whether you are new to Ukrainian art or just curious about how artists respond to crisis, this talk invites you to see the ground beneath our feet in a new way. The lecture takes place alongside Yana Kononova’s exhibition Radiations of War at WORM, creating space for reflection and shared attention to what the earth can hold.

About the lector:
Dasha Lohyvnova is an independent art historian and researcher based in the Netherlands. She recently graduated from the Curating Art and Cultures programme at the University of Amsterdam. Born and raised in Ukraine, her research interests lie in exploring artistic and curatorial practices in the so-called region of Eastern Europe, with a specific focus on Ukraine and contemporary Ukrainian art. Through her work, Dasha aims to understand the correlation between current artistic practice and ongoing social transformations in post-Soviet spaces.
@fto_dasha