A haunting collection of photographic postcards titled "Blue Valentines" has emerged as a powerful artistic response to the displacement experienced by Russian emigrants following the February 24, 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Created by artist Ida Anderson using the historic cyanotype process, the series captures the deep emotional impact of forced exile through melancholic blue-tinted images that serve as both personal memories and political statements.

The cyanotype technique, known for producing distinctive deep blue hues, gives the postcards their characteristic sorrowful appearance that perfectly matches their subject matter. These images function as intimate yet piercing reminders of a fractured love relationship - not with a person, but with one's native city and homeland. The photographs reflect a complex longing that operates on both personal and political levels, evoking a profound sense of exile from not just a physical place, but from an entire way of life and historical moment that now feels permanently lost.

Anderson's artistic vision presents a stark contrast between Moscow's beauty and its current reality. The series juxtaposes idyllic views of the Russian capital with more disturbing contemporary scenes that tell the story of a nation in turmoil. Among the unsettling images are police barricades blocking streets, solitary women walking alone, pigeons fighting aggressively, and a shuttered bar ironically named "Svoboda" (meaning "Freedom" in English) that sits empty during reconstruction work. Additional photographs capture a plume of smoke rising ominously from a fire, creating symbols both subtle and stark that effectively capture the emotional texture of this turbulent historical period.

The project takes its name from a Tom Waits song, and like that musical composition, "Blue Valentines" speaks to a type of grief that refuses to fade away - a persistent sorrow that seems impossible to shake off. This sense of profound loss resonates particularly strongly among Russians who oppose the war, whether they have remained in Moscow despite their opposition or have found themselves starting new lives in distant cities like Buenos Aires. The shared experience of displacement, both physical and emotional, creates a common bond among these scattered individuals.

Through this shared sense of displacement and loss, "Blue Valentines" creates an important space for collective memory and offers the possibility of healing across relationships and connections that have been ruptured by war and politics. The project serves as more than just art - it becomes a form of community building for people who have been separated by circumstances beyond their control. Anderson describes the work as a kind of "photographic blues," emphasizing its musical and emotional qualities that transcend traditional visual art categories.

Ultimately, this project functions as a visual elegy specifically designed for Russian emigrants who left their country in the immediate aftermath of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The choice to create postcards is particularly meaningful, as these intimate fragments of experience are designed to be mailed across international borders. This practical element allows the artwork to actively connect friends and loved ones who now find themselves part of a scattered yet enduring community, united by shared loss and hope for eventual healing.