TRAFO Center for Contemporary Art and the Academy of Art in Szczecin are please to hold Artist Talk with Ayuna Shagdurova – a documentary photographer and journalist whose work explores themes of identity, spirituality, and social and cultural boundaries. The talk will be moderated by Paweł Leszkowicz, a curator and researcher specializing in global art and LGBTQ+ studies.
Ayuna Shagdurova, originally from Buryatia (Siberia), focuses her work on documenting everyday life and traditional spiritual practices of Buddhism and shamanism. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, she began collaborating with independent Russian and international media as a freelance photographer, documenting the social consequences of war and the refugee crisis.
The Artist Talk is part of the ZONA LAB The Infinite Nature of Borders residency program, which is part of the CULTURE MOVES EUROPE initiative, funded by the European Commission and implemented by the Goethe-Institut. ZONA LAB provides a space for artists exploring the concept of borders in their various dimensions—geographical, cultural, and conceptual.
During the event, Ayuna Shagdurova will share her experiences documenting indigenous traditions, as well as the challenges of working as a photographer in the context of war and global social change. She will also discuss her project in Szczecin as part of the ZONA LAB residency, presenting its concepts and inspirations.
