Last Man Left in a Moldova Village: Best Picture by Laetitia Vanson | Art and design

TIt was taken in a village in rural Moldova that no longer exists. Thirty years ago, Dobrosa’s population was 200, typical of settlements around the country after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. When this Gresa man moved there in 2000 to start a sheep farm, the population had dropped to 70. When it happened, in July 2019, he was the only resident of the village. He was 65 years old.

A few months before it was taken over, the only other residents – a couple in their 40s – were killed by a farmer from a nearby village. Their half-naked bodies were found on the ground. They were beaten to death. It was a very dark story, and after that horrific incident, Gresa told me that he no longer felt safe living alone there. He was thinking of moving to a larger village.

He had plenty of animals, so he wasn’t completely alone: ​​turkeys, geese, chickens, pigeons, bees, and 120 ducks, many of which are pictured. His day started at four in the morning. When I went to photograph him on assignment in rural Moldova for the New York Times, I wanted to start the day as he did, at sunrise. He offered me a cup of coffee when I arrived, then a glass of wine, and that’s how he started his day. Then he took care of his animals, gathered his vegetables and collected his honey, which he sold in the local market. Later, he would go back to making food for himself. He lived a very simple life. He showed me pictures of when he was a soldier in the Soviet Army.

I don’t know what it’s like to live this way, but in my photographs, I try to bridge the gap between different places or cultures. I see photography as a way to communicate between people, despite their different culture, upbringing, or social class. I photograph intimate moments that offer a glimpse into scenes we are all familiar with: a mother waking her child, a couple walking in silence, a family dinner or a birthday celebration. These very ordinary moments reveal something extraordinary about our shared humanity, and its unique beauty. Next month, in my solo exhibition Homage to Odessa, I will present work I made on assignment during the conflict in Ukraine that shows an unseen side of war.

Loneliness kills you slowly, Grisa said, but he also found deep joy in solitude and quiet. He enjoyed reading books, and had friends who still came to visit him. Grisa had little income—he lived on almost nothing—but there was still beauty in this place. He called it little paradise. He loved walking on his land and spending time with his animals in peace and quiet. So this is a tribute to what one man can do, to the magical place he created.

This photo was taken at the end of the day, at sunset. It captures that charged, contemplative moment, when you stop, look back, realize what you’ve achieved, and feel content. I can imagine the same moment. I think everyone has these feelings at the end of the day or year. Grisa’s little paradise was revealed at that moment.

A tribute to Odessa will take place at OXO Gallery, London, from 11 to 18 February; vanconlaetitia.com

Biography of Letitia Vanson

child: France, 1979
High point: “My nomination for the Prix Pictet in 2025 for work done in Ukraine – all the hard work I have put in over many years has been recognized and recognised.”
Top tip: “Be curious. Trust your gut and instinct when you have a story to tell.”