Never in disguise, revisited: An interview with Ukrainian photographer Tatyana Kizeeva
With her editorial “Never in disguise“, Ukrainian photographer Tatyana Kizeeva takes us into the streets of Barcelona, to Avinguda Diagonal, the great street that cuts Barcelona in two halves. In the area of Eixample, close to Gaudi´s Sagrada Familia, she created a distinctive set of images to demonstrate how uniqueness and individuality in personal style plays a part in making the world a more beautiful and unusual place. Having fled Ukraine when the war began, she picked the Spanish city as her
new home after working there during previous years.
We spoke to Tatyana about her career as a photographer, and how the beginning of the war forced her to leave Ukraine, and what that meant for her as a creative freelancer.
Words Daniella Teixeira
Interview Andrea Probosch
Tatyana Kizeeva is a Ukrainian photographer born in Kyiv and raised in the city of Horishny Plavni, a city known for being one of Ukraines largest industrial and cultural centres. She graduated from Kyiv University of Technology and Design, majoring in photo and video design. Tatyana started her career working for a modelling agency and photographing people who came across the agency. After six months of unpaid work, people began to notice her skills and started to ask her how much she charged per shoot. A few years down the line, she became the co-owner of a photo studio and by 2007 she had become the head of a full-cycle production agency, which included its own talent division, by 2009 she was running her own agency.
Soon after the war broke out, Tatyana had little time to make a decision on a new country to reside in, with only her suitcase and her cat, she left home. Intuitively, she ended up picking the Spanish city of Barcelona as she had previously done work there. However, she tells us, Ukraine is where she of course feels most at home, as everything she loves is still there.
Many of her friends and colleagues are in similar situations. “Creative people who have left are trying to find their place in another country. This is not a simple process, which is why some people move from one country to another.” Many Ukrainians have sacrificed their creative careers in order to fight the war and support their country.
There are those who completely changed their lives and went to war, forgetting about creativity. There are those who continue to live and work, but of course their lives do not look the same as before. I was in Ukraine a year ago and felt this new reality of the country. People sleep anxiously at night or wake up due to military alarm to go to shelter, and in the morning they go to work as if nothing had happened. They get tired, but they find new meanings for motivation to do more for themselves, family and country, and waste less time on nonsense.
—Tatyana Kizeeva
The photos included in the interview were taken by Tatyana whilst fleeing Ukraine, the subtitles below are the narration of what she saw during her escape.
ZOOT: How does it feel to be far away from Ukraine now?
Tatyana Kizeeva: This feels hard, because I am building a new reality in a new place for myself and at the same time I am following all the news about the war in order to participate in the history of my country and help whenever possible. That is, I live in two parallel realities. My whole life remained in Ukraine: loved people, favorite places, life plans, professional achievements and a sense of security.
ZOOT: Where were you when the war started? Can you share what the early days of the war were like for you?
Tatyana Kizeeva: I was in Kyiv in my apartment, and when I woke up at 4:30 in the morning to the sound of explosions, I saw missed calls from friends and relatives. There was a feeling of confusion and not understanding what would happen next and where to go. I had a small suitcase with a minimum number of things and my cat. The departure took several days across Ukraine, due to large traffic jams at military posts, queues at gas stations and especially at the borders, we stood in line for 37 hours at the border with Romania. After leaving abroad, it took a few more days until we reached Barcelona. In Barcelona we were lucky to meet a hospitable family who helped us with their place and support at first.
ZOOT: How do you find your creative energy? How is the war impacting your art and daily life?
Tatyana Kizeeva: To feel filled with creative energy, I try to do as much as possible of what inspires me. This includes meeting interesting people, walking in beautiful places, drawing, dancing and, most importantly, searching for new creative ideas. The war obviously changed my life a lot, it forced me to completely reconsider my plans for life, changing the place, environment and meanings. I also began to look at creativity differently, I became bolder in expressing my vision. It seems to me that I’ve stopped being afraid of anything, and I’m more confident in planning things where I was previously even afraid to look. Now I realized that life is too short to be afraid and stay in the comfort zone.
ZOOT: What has changed in your life since 24th February 2022, what has remained the same?
Tatyana Kizeeva: Life has become different. This is a new experience that affects every Ukrainian in one way or another. I would like to say that my values, experience and who I am have remained unchanged. Wherever I end up and no matter what happens, I remain myself. This helps to build an environment that has similar views and values, and together we create something greater, I believe.
ZOOT: How are creative freelancers coping with being forced to relocate into a foreign country in order to be safe and continue their work?
Tatyana Kizeeva: [In our professional life] we use all our capabilities and skills to get closer to a comfortable standard of living. I can say that this [being forced to relocate] is a strong step beyond comfort. Since creative freelancers need to know languages, be able to present themselves and organize a team, in addition to creating relevant projects, and all this in an unfamiliar environment and without preparation.
ZOOT: All Ukrainians have a unique experience of the war. In your view, what ties all together?
Tatyana Kizeeva: Each of us has reconsidered our plans, priorities and meanings in life. I am sure that every Ukrainian has learned to value life more than usual. We are united by our roots, entrepreneurship in new living conditions, Ukrainian traditions, the will to win and mutual help.
ZOOT: What do you think the international artistic community can do to help Ukrainian people? How can we all help?
Tatyana Kizeeva: Lately people have been tired of war, both in Ukraine and abroad. But this is what our common enemy wants. I say common because the Putin regime considers it necessary to destroy all European values. The bloodthirsty Russian war machine will not stop until it is destroyed. Therefore, the best help is a constant reminder that the war continues. A reminder of the genocide of the European people, absolutely barbaric and unjustified.
If possible, it is necessary to help with any amount to volunteer funds, since we always need new military equipment, treatment for the wounded, assistance in restoring destroyed infrastructure, assistance to displaced people, children, doctors, animals, etc.
It also requires the support of national political leaders in every country who understand that Ukrainians are fighting every day for democratic values against totalitarianism.
ZOOT: What do you imagine your life will be like when the war is over? What’s the first thing you will do then?
Tatyana Kizeeva: It’s difficult to say where I will be at that moment, but I will definitely want to come to Kyiv and celebrate the victory with friends and family. Life will definitely become calmer and happier. I wish this would happen soon.
Thank you very much Tatyana!
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To boot…
View the editorial “Never in disguise” from Tatyana here on ZOOT.
Tatyana Kizeeva, photographer
@tatyana_kizeeva I www.kizeeva.com
