Refuge - STEVEN R. TABOR

Refuge

What goes through the mind of a refugee?

Refugees bear an overwhelming emotional burden. They often leave behind not just their homes, but entire communities, cherished possessions, and, heartbreakingly, even family members. This profound loss can engender intense grief, depression, and a pervasive sense of detachment from their past lives. Furthermore, refugees carry the emotional scars of the traumatic events that necessitated their displacement. They are trapped in a state of perpetual uncertainty and insecurity, their return to home countries uncertain and their legal status in host nations often precarious. This unrelenting instability fosters chronic stress and anxiety. Concurrently, they bear the heavy weight of concern for the safety and well-being of loved ones who remain in their home countries, compounding their already substantial emotional burden. Deep-seated images of the conflicts that forced them to flee persist within, triggering feelings of grief, trauma, loss, and insecurity.

In this series, haunting images from the devastating war in Ukraine are projected, using a mini-beamer, onto a lone refugee. She has been living abroad since shortly after the Russian invasion of her homeland. Much like countless others, she bears the silent, courageous weight of the emotional toll that comes with forced displacement.

If you would like to see the full series, download the PDF photobook here.