Yulia Spiridonova’s exhibition, "The Space of Appearance: Shared Tongue," is currently on view on the third floor of the Davis Center. This exhibition space is dedicated to rotating shows featuring artists and artistic practices from the regions within the Center’s research focus.
The selected group of images in the exhibition is an excerpt from Spiridonova’s ongoing project, "Wayward Son," a photographic series examining the contemporary displacement of people from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, and Central Asia. The individuals portrayed in this body of work share the Russian language and the experience of leaving their respective home countries because of political repression, the gradual erosion of personal freedoms and civic life, or war.
In her presentation, Spiridonova will guide the audience through her creative process, which is both personal and observational. She left Russia following the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and her own experience of leaving informs her exploration of how people rebuild a sense of home and community. Through photographs and the stories behind their making, the talk will consider displacement not simply as an act of departure, but as a prolonged process of re-rooting. It will explore what happens to identity and belonging when home becomes inaccessible.
The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session, during which Spiridonova will be joined by special guest Furqat Palvan-Zade, a scholar and filmmaker who is currently a PhD student at Yale University.
A small reception will follow.
Accessibility
The Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact us at 617-495-4037 or daviscenter@fas.harvard.edu in advance of your participation or visit. Requests for Sign Language interpreters and/or CART providers should be made at least two weeks in advance if possible. Please note that the Davis Center will make every effort to secure services but that services are subject to availability.
