Visual Artist Yulia Fernandes is the Edge of Humanity Magazine contributor of this photo essay. From the project ‘SUBMERGED CONFLICT’. To see Yulia ’s body of work, click on any photograph.

ORENBURG REGION, RUSSIA, APRIL 2024

In early April 2024, a flood began on the Ural River and its tributaries. Due to the rapid melting of snow, the Ural River overflowed its banks, breached a dam in Orsk, and flooded over 12 thousand homes, triggering one of the worst floods in Russia and Kazakhstan in recent times. The cities of Orenburg and Orsk in the Orenburg region were the hardest hit by the floods. Once beautiful places were submerged and rendered uninhabitable.

In my project, I document the natural disaster that overflowed the river as a metaphor for once-safe spaces turning into something repulsive overnight. I photograph people who have lost their homes, individuals who feel alienated and rejected. I observe how people come to terms with their losses, grieve, and how the natural disaster both divides and unites people in the face of a common tragedy.

I explore the concepts of disorientation and anxiety in the project. Through photography, I am interested in understanding why and how people continue to live in countries where political changes restrict human rights, where people reside in zones of environmental disasters, and where the notion of home offers no guarantee of safety.

Artist statement: 

Yulia Fernandes’s work is a profound exploration of the concept of home, questioning the classic belief that “home is my castle.” Through her projects, she delves into human identity and attempts to portray the invisible emotions of anxiety, loss, and danger. Her art weaves together personal experiences and documentary narratives, using metaphor to grapple with her own sense of unease tied to migration and the notion of returning to a homeland that many have left behind. 

Her work is deeply informed by her experience of displacement and the search for identity, both for herself and her children, amidst the absence of a permanent residence. Through her artistic practice, she sublimates her trauma related to the concepts of ‘homeland’ and ‘home,’ using space as a central element of meaning. Her work invites viewers to confront the faces of those who have lost their sense of stability, encouraging them to experience a shared sense of vulnerability and the crossing of boundaries. 

Central themes in her work include the loss of home and the forced displacement of people due to war, political unrest, natural disasters, or environmental crises. Yulia invites viewers to engage with these intangible emotions through her artistic interpretation of images, drawing from both her own experiences and those of the audience. She reexamines the notion of a safe space, exploring the tensions between individuals and their environments. Utilizing documentary photography and observational techniques, she uncovers and interprets the meanings embedded within spaces. 

Yulia’s work is shaped by her experiences with migration, her extensive background in directing global news, and her engagement with visual storytelling. Her art also reflects her interest in intercultural communication and national identity, as she continues to explore the complexities of belonging and the concept of home.

All images and text © Yulia Fernandes