UNDERFOOT 2024-26
Focusing on the lasting imprint of wartime on the natural landscape, Vitalii Halanzha reveals the persistent danger that remains as Russian weapons continue their daily attacks across Ukraine.
Shot in dim, fragmentary light, the images direct the viewer’s gaze downward. Scattered across the ground are remnants of Russian drones, missiles, and mines collected from the Kyiv region and the frontline, rearranged into quiet, haunting compositions. The fragments appear almost indistinguishable from the surrounding terrain, echoing the way danger becomes embedded within the landscape.
The work reflects the psychological experience of living with constant uncertainty, when the future cannot be predicted, and attention narrows to what lies immediately underfoot. In this way, the natural environment becomes a silent repository of war, preserving its traces within the landscape.
The work references the legacy of early war photography, particularly Roger Fenton’s staged images of the Crimean War. By echoing these methods, Vitalii challenges the role of the photographer as a mere witness, revealing the inherent subjectivity in capturing and framing reality. It resists the tradition of showcasing bodily harm or destroyed cities - images that risk slipping into spectacle or voyeurism. Instead, it turns our attention to nature, where the fallout of war is less documented but equally brutal.