Iva Sidash

Iva Sidash (b. 1995) is a Ukrainian documentary photographer and visual storyteller based between Lviv and Kharkiv. Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, her work has focused on the personal and often overlooked stories unfolding behind the frontlines, documenting how war shapes everyday life, memory, identity, and human connection. Combining a documentary approach with a strong visual sensitivity, she explores the emotional realities of conflict through long-term storytelling and intimate narratives.

Originally working in street photography, Iva gradually shifted toward documentary work as the realities of war transformed both her country and her photographic direction. Over the years, she has developed a body of work centered on civilians, families, wounded soldiers, displacement, resilience, and the lasting traces conflict leaves behind. Her projects and exhibitions, including The Wall: Witness to the War in Ukraine and Traces of Tender Lives, have been shown across the United States and Europe.

Her work has received international recognition through awards and fellowships including the Ian Parry Photojournalism Grant, the Chris Hondros Fellowship, the Women Photograph Fellowship, and the Alexia Vision Grant Runner-Up award. She studied Documentary Practices and Visual Journalism at the International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York and is a member of both Women Photograph and the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers.

Today, Iva continues to document life in Ukraine through long-term personal projects and editorial assignments. Her photographs have appeared in publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, The Financial Times, and Der Spiegel, while her work continues to explore the human stories that exist beyond headlines and breaking news.