Place of Power exhibition shows heartfelt places in Lancashire for Ukrainians

Places that hold significant emotional importance to Ukrainians who fled from the war in their country, are being showcased in a new art exhibition.

The Place of Power exhibition features photos of seven women in locations from across the Lancashire that have been important to them since they fled Ukraine at the start of the war.

Tania Zelena chose Preston train station as her place of power as it was the place she met a family who had agreed to give her a home.

Her family have since found work and college places but her father is still on the frontline.

New short film aims to highlight place of 'sanctuary' for refugees in the UK
Place of Power can currently be found in Accrington library. Credit: ITV Granada

Tania said: "We never know where he is today. Every day is different, we are always scared about him. Without him, life is not whole."

Yulia Ivanova's place of power is her boyfriend's home in the Ribble Valley. They got together before the war.

She, her mother and niece escaped from Dnipro and lived in Poland for a month while her boyfriend Giuseppe sorted visas.

Yulia said: "Everybody asked me how I was feeling, what happened with me, maybe I need some help.

"Really I was surprised, there's a lot of friendly people."

Yulia Ivanova chose her boyfriend Giuseppe's home in the Ribble Valley as her place of power. Credit: ITV Granada

Libby Burke Wilde, curator of the exhibition said the photographs had allowed the women to "reclaim their own space".

"It's not about them coming across as victims, they are still people," she said.

"They wanted to end on that hopeful tone.

"It's about giving them power again, them reclaiming their own space again.

"For them is was all about freedom that they could explore. Preston train station was a place of sanctuary, they could choose where they went and for how long.

"I think it's important that council's comission these kinds of artworks. The point of this exhibition is that anyone can go and see this."

The exhibition is touring Lancashire libraries until February 2024. It is currently at Accrington library, then moves to Skelmersdale, Nelson and Leyland.

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