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Anya Tsaruk
Contributions from Around the World
This year’s Open Call, themed Nærmere/Closer, received around 850 submissions from across the globe. The jury faced a challenging task—selecting just one project. This year’s competition featured many strong and personal contributions of high quality, several of which would have deserved a place in this year’s edition of the Oslo Negativ photo festival at the National Gallery in October. After thorough discussions, the jury reached a broad consensus on the project that was ultimately selected.
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Karpivtsi village, Khmelnytskyi region, Ukraine, 2023. My grandmother Maria holds a chick. Anya Tsaruk
Homecoming
Tsaruk was born and raised in Ukraine but left the country nine years ago. When she began working on this project, she felt, for the first time, a strong need to return—to be close to her family, to understand what her homeland has become, and to convey a more nuanced image of Ukraine and the people she holds dear.
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Anya Tsaruk
Powerful Everyday Moments
At first glance, the images appear to depict beautiful everyday moments. It is precisely their quiet expression that gives them such impact. It’s everything we don’t see—everything left unsaid—that makes the project so powerful. Rather than emphasizing the brutality of war, Tsaruk tells a story of love, faith, and hope—conveyed in a personal and poetic way, with a focus on closeness and human connection. In doing so, she challenges the simplified portrayal of war and conflict, offering us a deeper, more personal perspective.
The jury consisted of:
Tina Holth-Jacobsson, Tinagent
Ove Kvavik, photographer, artist, and board member of Oslo Negativ
Anna Tellgren, Moderna Museet, Stockholm
Andrea Gjestvang, photographer and artist
Pål Otnes, Preus Museum and Magasinet Fotografi
Pål Henrik Ekern, Preus Museum
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Anya Tsaruk
