Visual artist and poet Margarita Korol was born in Soviet Ukraine, and she and I never would have met if not for her mother. Margarita's mom was a "refusenik" -- a Soviet Jew who was denied permission to leave the country. Only by risking her life was she able to get herself and her daughter out. Korol wrote a beautiful poem about her family's story, entitled "Spoils of War: Ode to a Refusenik Mother." In early 2013, she asked me to create a video montage to accompany her live performances of the poem, set to a musical backing track composed by a Los Angeles musician. I was only too happy to accept the task.

I incorporated Soviet cartoons and travel films, found-footage clips of birch trees and the Chicago skyline, Korol's own art (created for an exhibition based on the poem), and much more. This is the finished piece, along with a version of the musical track that incorporates Korol's voice as she reads the poem.

Click here for more info and to purchase Korol's gorgeous printed compilation of the poem and the artwork: urbanpopartist.com