Meet the Ukrainian artist turning the ruins of a refugee camp into poignant sculptures

Ukrainian artist Stanislava Pinchuk spent half a year mapping the remains of Europe’s most notorious refugee camp: “The Jungle” in Calais.

As well as gathering data, Pinchuk — who works under the name MISO — collected remains that refugees had left behind during the camp’s forced evacuation at the end of 2016. The trampled mix of broken toothbrushes, SIM cards and tent poles were ground down to become the basis of her latest work, Borders (The Magnetic Fields). Beautiful from a distance, up close the polished terrazzo blocks reveal the true, human nature of the camp and those who stayed there, living ordinary lives among gruelling hardships.

Pinchuk has mixed the sculptures with her own topographical map of the area: markings which show how the camp changed the land itself, the artist says. The meshed fabric is a symbol of connects and belonging, but also acts as a subtle nod to Calais’ traditional lacemaking heritage. As a whole, the work — which helped Pinchuk rise to Forbes’ prestigious 30 Under 30 list — unites both past and present with the very land itself.

To see more of Pichuk’s work, visit her Instagram here.