Alina Araslanova

TIFA 2025 Interview with Alina Araslanova
1st Place winner in Fine Art, Professional, “Paper Shelter”

Can you introduce yourself and share a bit about your background in photography?

I am a Ukrainian visual artist and conceptual photographer. My background combines formal education in Information Technologies Design with many years of experience in marketing and advertising, which shaped my analytical approach to visual storytelling. I graduated from the Kyiv School of Photography in 2018, where I began developing long-term photographic projects focused on vulnerability, memory, trauma, and resilience. Photography for me is both a personal language and a tool to reflect on broader social and human conditions.

Paper Shelter emerged between 2023 and 2025 under the influence of the war in Ukraine.

How did the experience of growing up in emigration shape the emotional core of this project?

Growing up in emigration deeply influenced the emotional foundation of Paper Shelter. It meant losing not only a physical home, but also everyday structures — school, friendships, familiar routines. This sense of instability created a constant inner tension: being present in a new place while emotionally suspended elsewhere.

At the same time, Paper Shelter is a deeply personal story rooted in the emotional experience of my older child. After forced emigration due to the war, she became emotionally withdrawn, wore only oversized black clothing, avoided speaking about her feelings, and struggled with self-acceptance. The project became my silent cry to her — an attempt to reach a closed inner world through photography, to show her that I see her, and to help her see and accept herself as she is.

What does the idea of a “paper shelter” represent for you, both emotionally and visually, within the context of loss and displacement?

A “paper shelter” symbolizes a fragile, temporary form of protection — something that cannot fully defend, yet still offers a sense of safety. Emotionally, it represents inner withdrawal, silence, and the instinct to hide when the world becomes overwhelming. Visually, paper becomes a metaphor for vulnerability: it creases, tears, and absorbs traces of experience. It mirrors how displaced identities adapt, protect themselves, and survive despite their fragility.

From the beginning, my daughter agreed to participate only if her face remained hidden. This absence became essential to the work, reflecting both protection and erasure. As time passed, subtle changes appeared. She slowly reintroduced color into her life, her clothing became softer, and her posture more open. I responded by using lighter tones and gentler paper textures, allowing the project to evolve alongside her healing.

How do you approach the idea of “femininity in every man,” and why was it important to include this perspective in the project?

I approach femininity not as a gendered concept, but as a universal human capacity for sensitivity, vulnerability, and emotional awareness. Paper Shelter speaks about how both men and women often hide parts of themselves — from the world and from their own truth.

The paper in the project creates the illusion of protection, yet it remains fragile and transparent. True strength does not lie in hiding, but in acknowledging one’s emotions and allowing oneself to live openly and authentically. By including male participants, the project expands into a shared reflection on emotional honesty as a necessary step toward healing.

What does winning at the Tokyo International Foto Awards mean to you personally and professionally?

Winning the Tokyo International Foto Awards affirmed the importance of this intimate narrative, transforming a private family dialogue into a shared reflection on resilience, displacement, and the fragile courage of being seen. or me, it was a huge joy — I received the email at the airport, jumped, and shouted with happiness! This award is very meaningful to me, and I am deeply grateful that such a personal story, which tells the experience of so many people and touches deep emotions, has the opportunity to be noticed and heard.