Photo exhibition by Alena Grom, at the 1st High School of Naxos from July 11 to September 1, 2025 Stolen Spring is a Stolen Life. Each photograph in this project is a personal tragedy, but it is also a life-affirming story of a survivor, a hope that Ukraine will be reborn from the ruins. Ukrainian artist and documentary photographer Alena Grom was born in Donetsk. In April 2014, she was forced to leave her hometown due to military events in Eastern Ukraine. Since 2017, she has lived in Bucha, a town outside Kiev. In February 2022, Grom and her family became refugees for the second time, but returned after Bucha was recaptured. These events greatly influenced her artistic practice. Photography became Alena’s salvation and a way to cope with the traumatic reality of war.Since 2016, Alena Grom's work has focused on places affected by military aggression. Her lens captures victims of war, migrants and refugees, as well as war-torn Ukraine as a whole. However, her photographs are not depictions of pity or sadness. Life in spite of everything is one of the artist's main themes. Alena Grom’s works have been exhibited extensively in Ukraine and internationally – and have been recognized by many international photography awards. Here are some of the most recent: International Photography Awards “Best of Show 2022” by this year’s curator – Prix de la Photographie, Paris (PX3). Message to the people of Naxos: Spring may have been stolen, but hope has not. My project tells the story of women who survived the occupation, the loss of their homes, their loved ones, and even spring itself. Despite the pain and loss, they maintained their dignity and their faith in life. These portraits serve as a reminder of how important it is to see the light even in the darkest of times. Let the images speak not only of tragedy, but also of the strength, courage, and inner light that helps us endure.