Heda
Poland
2025
Chechnya is a divided nation. A bloody war of independence has forced a large part of the population to flee the country. The daughters of refugees, living in Europe today, are, as it were, stuck in limbo. They are both imprisoned in their culture of origin and its misogyny, and the victims of xenophobic rejection in the countries where they have taken refuge.
“The starting point for Heda is my long friendship with a young Chechen woman living in Moscow. Unable to see her due to the political situation, I started to photograph, throughout Europe, four young Chechen women who have the same first name as her. The project tells the story of these five Hedas. Together, they create a multi-dimensional story about migration, trauma, appearances and friendship.” – OS
With the support of the Polish Institute of Paris.
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About the artist
Ola Skowrońska is a Polish visual artist born in 2001. She has a photography degree from the cinema school in Łódź. Her favourite media are photography, film and performance. Her practice focuses on long-term projects based on research and inspired by her observation of historical and social phenomena.