Through her ceramics, Crimean Tatar artist Elvira Demerdzhi finds moments of calm and a sense of home amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has endured relentless air raids and drone strikes, disrupting daily life and endangering safety.
Ahead of the International Day for Migration on 18 December , Elvira explains how art and the quiet strength of creativity have helped her through three tumultuous years.
While Kyiv bears the weight of war, inside Crimean Tatar ceramist Elvira Demerdzhi's showroom, her ceramics offer a fragile refuge and a reminder of home.
Crimean roots
Elvira's story begins long before she shaped her first piece of clay. Her mother, pregnant with her, returned from Uzbekistan to Crimea in 1989 as Crimean Tatars came home after decades of exile.
Her grandmother, deported at aged nine in 1944, was the sole survivor of her family.
Elvira's great-grandfather, fighting Nazi Germany at the time, was later exiled and reunited with her years later.
The family rebuilt their lives in Crimea, where Elvira grew up, free to roam the southern coast they had once been torn from.
Before turning to ceramics, Elvira spent twelve years as a professional dancer and performance artist.
Russian annexation of Crimea
After Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, she lost her home, and displacement pushed her toward new forms of expression. Drawn to something steadier, she enrolled in a private ceramics studio in Kyiv and set out to learn everything she could, including how to run a business.
Clay became both a craft and a form of self-discovery. "When I was displaced after the annexation, I began studying Crimean Tatar lands and realized how little we really knew about the places we came from."
For Elvira, each piece is grounded in the places she carries within her, reflecting the landscapes and memories of her childhood and identity.
Her studio, "Aqyar Ceramics," carries the Crimean Tatar name of her native Sevastopol. While traditional Crimean Tatar pottery is known for its colourful floral ornamentation, Elvira chose a modern, minimalist approach. She works primarily with stone clay.
When Russia invaded Ukraine, Elvira sought temporary safety in the Netherlands. She could have stayed, but returning to Kyiv felt necessary as it was her home.
In October 2025 alone, Russia launched 269 missiles at Ukraine, the highest number recorded in the first ten months of the year, according to official figures. After such periods of intense shelling, sales often drop sharply.
Business support from IOM
"Crafts need stability, and right now I can only dream of that for my business," said Elvira.
Even so, some days bring small signs of progress.
Families of military personnel attend her master classes, enjoying the focus and calm that clay demands. Customers look for meaningful gifts. Restaurants and hotels place orders for handmade dishware.
This year, Elvira received a business grant from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which enabled her to buy additional equipment and materials. With the granny she was able to collaborate with other ceramists and take on large orders.
Between 2022 and 2025, IOM helped over 1,800 Ukrainian micro and small businesses stay afloat amid the pressures of a wartime economy.
Rebuilding her business is just one part of Elvira's life. She's also raising her six-year-old son, hoping to pass on their Crimean Tatar heritage when he's ready.
"He knows where he comes from, but I want to protect him a little longer," she said.
