Parallel Lives
Parallel Lives by Ciaran Spencer is a project documenting the members and headquarters of the Nottingham Branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) which, since the 1950’s, has provided a place of refuge and community for Ukrainians displaced by war.
Spanning nearly 25 years the series is presented in two parts; Bentinck Road and Clawson Lodge, the two locations of the Club in Nottingham. Bentinck Road was shot in 2000 whilst Spencer was studying at Nottingham Trent University and documents the members who were displaced by WWII.
In 2024 he was invited to return to the Club, now at Clawson Lodge, to photograph current members, displaced by the ongoing war in Ukraine as well as those who are second or third generation Ukrainians living in the UK.
Through intimate portraits the work is an exploration of a community formed from the ripple effects of two wars. It shows the resilience and quiet dignity of the Ukrainian community over multiple generations and presents the Club as a place of refuge and cultural heritage.
All images were taken on large format (4×5) film.
