The work explores the influence of terrestrial and subterranean landscapes on imagination and the unconscious.

The project began as a series of interviews recorded in June 2021 with residents of Soledar (Donetsk Region, Ukraine). They shared their perception of the steppe, dreams of their hometown's nature, its animals and landscapes, as well as the symbolic meanings of salt in the monotown known primarily for its salt industry.

Combining these documentary stories with contemplation of the terrestrial and underground landscapes that reflect the town's industrial past, this video tries to identify the influence of local lore mythology and geological features on the formation of identity and the idea of the "sublime".

Music: Maryana Klochko

Camera: Theta Tsybulnyk, Elias Parvulesco, Andrii Krainiuk, Mykhailo Babkin
Performers: Andriy Krainyuk, Mykhailo Babkin
Voices: Svitlana Redchenko, Mykyta Rudachenko, Olesia Hubska

Based on interviews with the Soledar community, including Viktoria Hubanova, Artem Rudnev, Maksym Trubachov, Andrii Krainiuk, and Olena Babkina

Our deep gratitude to Mykhailo Kulishov, Natalia Tyschuk, and Kateryna Filiuk for organizing the project. Made during IZOLYATSIA’s Grounding short-term art residency programme with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Fund, 2021