Although the emotions depicted by the subjects aren’t exhilarating, there’s a dynamic aspect to their simplicity, she said. “Yet, surprisingly for the people in the village, I speak the same language - even with the distinct accent of the region.”Īll of the photographs Suchy has taken have been compiled into a single composite portrait featuring the villagers of Kryvorivnya. “In Kryvorivnya, the clothing I wear and the photographic gear I use define me as a stranger,” Suchy said.

Throughout her visits to the town, she reflected on the differences between the country where she was raised and the place that feels like home, she said. Suchy found further connection with her Ukrainian roots in Kryvorivnya. A Syracuse University alumna, Suchy has been photographing the village of Kryvorinya for nearly 30 years, beginning around the time of the Soviet Union’s dissolution. Suchy’s family sought refuge from Ukraine, and she herself was born and raised in America. This past Saturday marked the opening of ArtRage Gallery’s latest exhibition, “Portrait of a Village, Ukraine - Photographs by Lida Suchy.” She dedicated this new exhibition to all those who are fighting for and supporting the pursuit of freedom in Ukraine.

“In my childhood, (Kryvorivnya) had been described to me in great detail by my parents, both refugees, who were forced to leave their homes in Ukraine,” Suchy said. Photographer Lida Suchy captures this complexity every time she returns to the town. The words come together to both express complexity and define a rural village - Kryvorivnya.

In Ukrainian, “kryvo” means curved and “rivnya” means straight. Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.

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