About This Project

Dina Belenko

I’m a still life photographer, deeply interested in the life of mundane, ordinary things and their surprising ability to express complex concepts in relation to humans. Things can tell what they saw, who held them, who accidentally broke them, and who lovingly gathered up the pieces and repaired them. In every single thing, there is a sense of human presence, something invisible but clear. I’m trying to unravel these stories and retell them through the language of photography. Initially, my mind gravitated towards whimsical themes, capturing fairy tales and levitating coffee cups, a playful exploration of the lighter side of imagination. However, my abrupt relocation to Los Angeles, fleeing the war in Russia, catalysed a significant shift in my work. This move wasn’t just geographical; it was a rapid, almost shocking, journey to more personal and profound themes. Now, my focus is on the narratives of immigration, rapid change and homesickness. These themes, born out of personal upheaval, reflect a deeper exploration of identity and belonging in my photography. The ordinary items I brought with me from home serve as keepsakes, amplifying my sense of homesickness. Yet, paradoxically, they also offer a lens through which I can understand and navigate these emotions. In my current body of work, these personal artefacts become focal points, enabling me to explore the elusive sense of ‘home.’ Broken cups in these fragile balancing constructions are part of my props that I’ve brought from home, managing to pack my life into two suitcases. Displaced, but still at work. Magnolia cone, strange thorns, ginkgo leaf and other (very unusual to me!) botanical forms were found on the streets of Los Angeles. Finding these strange, vibrant and diverse plants gave me not only a form of comfort, but also a sense of resilience and a hope for adaptation. Plants surviving hot Californian climate echo the strength of those forging new lives in unfamiliar lands. Here every artificial element is brought from my home and every natural one is found on the other side of the sea. I wonder how these Californian garden findings will now grow on Far Eastern broken porcelain.

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