UNDERFOOT 2024-26
Land mines and fragments of weapons appear in various forms and locations across the country. What is the chance of stepping on the hostile metal somewhere deep in the Ukrainian forest?
Shot in dim, fragmentary light, the images direct the viewer’s gaze downward. Scattered across the ground are fragments of Russian drones, bombs, missiles, artillery, and mines collected and rearranged into quiet, haunting compositions.
The remnants appear almost indistinguishable from the surrounding terrain, echoing how danger becomes embedded in the landscape.
The series reflects the psychological experience of living in wartime with the persistent sense of an uncertain future. The inability to look forward narrows attention to what lies immediately underfoot. In this way, the natural environment becomes a silent repository of war, preserving its traces within the land.
The work references the early war photography of Roger Fenton, particularly his staged images of the Crimean War. By echoing this method, Vitalii challenges the role of the photographer as a mere witness, revealing the inherent subjectivity in capturing and framing reality.
The nature here serves as a mise-en-scène in which all biodiversity is subjected to violence, poisoning, and collapse. “Underfoot” articulates a reality where insecurity and danger remain buried, sometimes literally beneath the surface.