This group show exhibits still lives, portraiture and built landscapes, each a unique depiction of destruction of both human life and buildings, serving as a stark reminder of the continued brutality of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The exhibition’s layout and the way the photographs have been hanged or pinned on walls, transmits a tranquillity and domestic feel that juxtaposes the heartbreaking imagery. 

To heighten the emotional impact of these photographs, this touring exhibition features specially commissioned poems by the likes of Jackie Kay about the connection between home and identity. Rather than infringing on the space for Ukrainian voices, these responses by prominent UK poets politicise the exhibition even further by prompting readers to consider the possibility of their own displacement in the face of conflict. 

Home was first commissioned to coincide with Eurovision 2023, but as it tours across UK cities, it gains added layers of meaning. Igor Chekachkov’s series ‘Daily Lives Of The Displaced’ (2024) captures refugees sharing cramped living space with their host families in Edinburgh. The birds-eye-view emphasises the sombre mood, possibly taken a just stone’s throw away from Stills. 

Home, Stills, until 5 October.