While in Ukraine finalising the images for In Memoriam (see earlier post), I also started working on another project connected with the Former Soviet Union that I expect to continue with over the course of the next few years. When the Soviet Union broke up in 1991 the shock waves had a huge impact on successor countries, including Ukraine where I have travelled extensively.

After almost 30 years since these former Soviet Republics became independent countries, vestiges of the old communist world are still very much in evidence, particularly outside the capital cities. This series of images looks at aspects of this ongoing post-Soviet transition from the vantage point of Xepcoh (Kherson in English) a town in southern Ukraine. I have now added some sample images to my website. It features mostly ‘quiet’ images taken in Soviet era apartment complexes and on street corners. Like much of my recent work, most of the images in this series do not feature people but allude to their presence and their influence on the spaces I shoot. I intend to work further on this project shooting in other smaller towns in Ukraine and possibly Russia and Kazakhstan when I return next year.

Stairwell in a Soviet era apartment block