My work, “Moldova – An Iconography of the Land and Its People”, is an ode to Moldovan tradition; to the diversity of our nationalities and minority groups; and to the dignity of living a simple life. I began it in 2019, seeing how our culture is changing under the pressure of a decade long economic migration and the technological revolution that has modernized the world. It’s a homage to our national identity that we have continued to redefine since ’91. My goal is to bring awareness to our common humanity and promote tolerance towards each other; to inspire cultural understanding and peace; and to share the uniqueness of our small nation to the larger world.
Witnessing the unfounded aggression towards our neighbor Ukraine, I fear for Moldova’s independence, and our cultural identity that is once again threatened to be erased.
With support of the Alexia grant, I will continue this work.
My focus will be to document the:
- Ukrainians, the largest minority group in Moldova;
- Transnistrian community, home to most citizens of Russian descent;
- Gagauz, Roma, and Russian Old Believers;
- Moldovans. In addition to the rural and traditional aspect of life, I’ll add to the narrative the urban environment, our youth, and their lifestyle which contributes to Moldova’s changing landscape and culture.
By documenting every ethnic group and its culture, I amplify their unique way of honoring their identity under the umbrella of Moldovan national identity. Cohering the work into one “Iconography” is a direct demonstration of how our small nation has the capacity to be the model of diversity and tolerance in community.
The funds will go towards research, travel, logistics, meals, per diem expenses, and archival. Funds will also cover the hiring of a field guide for safety and access, and a camera with both still and video capability for deeper storytelling and safety when working in sensitive situations.
As far as a greater impact, since 2017, I’ve worked with the United Nations Development Programme in Moldova. In 2020, we organized 30 teens and with the help of esteemed photographers E. Larsen and L. Johnson, mentored them for a year in the art of storytelling and photography. With a camera in hand and the know-how behind great stories, they became "ambassadors of change" and leaders in their communities. Given the support, I can invite them to exhibit our work collectively, organize travel exhibitions that create dialog in the communities where we photograph, with the diaspora abroad and the world at large.
My intended outcome is to promote an internal cultural understanding that when amplified, empowers my people to see their own capacity for strength and peace. Long term, my intention is to build an archive of imagery and documents attesting to the current times, while acknowledging the cultural heritage left by our forefathers, and which will serve future generations in paving the path forward. The exhibition of this work abroad will promote a global understanding of the universal architecture of national identity and our commonality.
