Natalia Sharamova & the Ukrainian Art Group:
Invisible Visible

Invisible Visible is an exhibition of collaborative, narrative portrait photographs by Natalia Sharomova and the Ukrainian Art Group as well as artworks by the group created during the year-long mentorship project Putting Ourselves in the Picture - Part 2. Co-curated by Natalia Sharomova and Fast Forward team Anna Fox and Corinne Whitehouse, the exhibition will feature a film by celebrated artist Ori Gersht.

Anna Fox, Director of Fast Forward says: “Putting Ourselves in the Picture has been an exciting project extending the skills and knowledge of a fabulously creative group of Ukrainian women artists based in Farnham. Led by the inspiring photographer Natalia Sharomova alongside Fast Forward and Creative Response these women have produced an extraordinary range of visually stunning artworks. They have used an incredible range of photographic approaches to tell us a series of powerful stories about their lives in their own voices.”

Speaking about the Invisible Visible photo series Natalia Sharomova says: "We invite you to step into stories of Ukrainian women, most of whom came to live in the UK as refugees when Russia fully invaded Ukraine. The stories are told through image and text. Born from collaboration, they reclaim the women’s voices and identities. Each photograph is a quiet defiance, a declaration of presence."

In addition to the photo series, there are paintings, ceramics and other artworks made by the women at their bi-weekly sessions at Creative Response. The cyanotype and collage works on display were created during Putting Ourselves in the Picture 2 workshops run by artists Maria Kapajeva and Marilene Ribeiro.

Putting Ourselves In The Picture – Part 2: Engaging with Industry is a Fast Forward project in collaboration with five pioneering organisations: National Galleries of Scotland in Edinburgh, Women for Refugee Women and Autograph in London, Creative Response in Farnham, and Work Show Grow online. Each organisation worked with a community of marginalised women and non-binary people to run a mentorship programme. The focus was on developing relationships with the photography industries that could oXer work experiences such as day long field visits, workshops and talks with industry partners.

Putting Ourselves in the Picture – Part 2: Engaging with Industry is supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, University for Creative Arts and project partners. The exhibition opening is supported by Megan’s, Farnham.

Contact information for press and media:

For further information, images or interviews please contact: Corinne Whitehouse at corinne.whitehouse@uca.ac.uk or 07946 471 454.