CHICAGO – On May 8 the Ukrainian National Museum (UNM) in Chicago opened the exhibit “Conflict Zone: Ukraine. The War in Ukraine Through the Eyes of Ukrainian Photojournalists.” The exhibit features a selection of 50 photographs by 13 young, Ukrainian photojournalists who serve on the front lines of the war in eastern Ukraine as correspondents.
These powerful images depict the grim realities of life and death in the war zone: the everyday life of soldiers, the grief-stricken faces of civilians, as well as the hope and resilience of the Ukrainian people. The purpose of the exhibit is to bring the truth about the war to the world.
The exhibit includes photographs by Ivan Bogdan, Evgeny Feldman, Alexey Furman, Julia Kochetova, Max Levin, Markian Leseiko, Evgeny Maloletka, Sergey Polezhaka, Oleksander Ratushniak, Volodymyr Shuvayev, Anatolii Stepanovv, Anastasia Vlasova and Petro Zadorozhnyy.
The idea for this exhibit came from Jerry Kykisz, the curator at the National Veterans Art Museum. Mr. Kykisz is a Vietnam veteran and has overseen photo exhibits from conflict zones around the world. UNM approached Alexey Furman, a Ukrainian photojournalist and Fulbright scholar who is studying at the Missouri School of Journalism, to recruit his colleagues for this exhibit.
Photojournalist Alexey Furman addresses the audience at the Ukrainian National Museum.
Mr. Furman’s photographs have previously appeared in publications such as National Geographic Magazine Ukraine, Time, The New York Times and The Washington Post. His photo of a shell-shocked woman from a hospital in Mykolayivka, which is included in the exhibit, won first place in the portrait category of the Picture of the Year International 2015 contest.
The speakers at the opening included Lydia Tkaczuk, UNM president; Maria Klimchak, UNM curator; Larysa Gerasko, consul general of Ukraine in Chicago; Mr. Kykisz; Mr. Furman; and Walter Tun of Selfreliance Ukrainian American Federal Credit Union.
Mr. Furman gave a first-hand account of the work and dangers faced by correspondents in the conflict zone. He related the story of a seriously injured Ukrainian soldier who urged him: “Alexey! No retreat, only forward!”
The speakers were complemented by a moving literary-musical performance of “Requiem in the Rain” by the theatrical group “Istina” under the direction of Lina Mytnychuk.
Most powerful, however, are the photographs themselves. They bring the viewer face to face with the harsh reality of war, but at the same time provide belief in victory and a hope for a better future.
The exhibit at the Ukrainian National Museum in Chicago runs through May 30. Support for the exhibit is provided by the Independence Fund and Selfreliance Ukrainian American Federal Credit Union of Chicago. The organizers plan to display the exhibit in cities throughout the United States, including in colleges and universities. Those wishing to host the exhibit should contact the Ukrainian National Museum at [email protected].