April 29 - May 16, 2024

The Lies We Tell (2024) is an installation that draws from my piano teacher and preschool teacher’s experience with the Russo-Ukraine War. From a young age, war has interested me due to my relationship with my father. Impacts of the Ukraine war can be seen carried years later in family dynamics and other facets of life. Additionally, conversations with my Ukrainian friends unfurled the impact that the war has had as they change their language, manners, and seem to struggle as they have love for both Russia and Ukraine. Moreover, with the surplus of information that consumers have available to them, people can choose which information to take in. Oftentimes, that means turning away from hardships or contrastingly, becoming desensitized to conflict. Ms. Yelena, my piano teacher, first brought me into the conflict by asking me to play Melody by Skoryk, which has now been transformed into Ukraine’s spiritual anthem. 

From this, I decided to create a space where the stories of individuals, which often gets lost amongst political agendas, is amplified. Here, people are removed from their setting in wood blocks, reflecting how they feel out of place as they navigate their new lives. To bring the conflict and the people to the forefront, I decided to create an installation where the buildings are jutting out of the walls into the room. The paintings on the walls represent both the past and present situations of Ukraine and its people as they navigate these new times. I aim to amplify the stories of individuals affected by the Russo-Ukraine War, shedding light on the enduring impacts and complexities of the conflict both at home and abroad.