Arts, Events & Entertainment, Wimborne | Posted on August 6th, 2026 | return to news

Ukraine exhibition event in Wimborne

There is an exhibition of photos taken by Ukrainian photographer Iryna Sozanska at the Museum of East Dorset.

Local people are invited to learn more about the experiences of Ukrainian photographer Iryna Sozanska at an after-hours event to be held at the Museum of East Dorset.

‘Occupied / Unoccupied: In Conversation’ to be held on Thursday 20 August will give visitors exclusive access to the exhibition outside normal museum opening hours, This will be followed by an in-conversation talk with Iryna about her experiences, the stories behind the photographs and how photography and personal objects have helped her document an extraordinary period of her life.

Doors open at 6pm, with entrance via the museum’s Garden Tearoom. The event will include time to view the exhibition, a talk with Iryna, an audience Q&A, Ukrainian nibbles, a drinks reception and a raffle. Entry to this exclusive event is free and spaces are limited so advance booking is essential.

The event is a fundraiser in support of the UK-based charity, Ukraine Relief, with profits from the raffle being donated to help provide humanitarian aid to people affected by the war in Ukraine. It forms part of local activity marking Ukrainian Independence Day on 24 August.

The Occupied / Unoccupied exhibition brings together photographs taken by Iryna in the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, when her family lived under occupation and survived evacuation, with new images made after the family began rebuilding their lives in Dorset. What began as simple family photographs became records of endurance, carried through Russian checkpoints as the family fled their home.

The contrast between those two worlds is at the heart of the exhibition. In one image, Iryna’s children shelter behind a mattress as glass shatters during an attack; in another, the same children play freely on the hills of Badbury Rings.

Iryna now based in Ferndown, said: “Photography became my way to hold on, to remember, to process, and to rebuild. These images are about finding light again, even after everything changes.”

Millie Lake, curator at Museum of East Dorset, said: “Alongside the photographs, visitors can see personal objects connected to Iryna’s journey and a short film offering an immersive glimpse into the first days of the war.

“This event offers audiences the chance to hear directly from Iryna and gain a deeper understanding of the stories behind the exhibition. After the talk, guests will have time to revisit the exhibition with new insight into the photographs and objects on display.”

The exhibition runs until 26 September inclusive at the Museum of East Dorset. Entry during normal opening hours is free with normal museum admission. For more information visit: https://museumofeastdorset.co.uk/occupied-unoccupied/