"There is still so much beauty around us, that helps us stay strong”
Stay Strong Photo Stories #5: Ukraine edition.
This spring, the Ukraine edition of Stay Strong Photo Stories started: How do you stay connected to yourself and others in a time when life is uncertain and unpredictable? Stay Strong Photo Stories is a participatory photo project in which participants portray their daily lives based on concrete assignments.
The first edition of the project was created when the world was in the middle of the COVID-19 period. During the (online) workshops, participants used photography and stories to look for bright spots in days that were lonely and uncertain for many people. In March 2024, the Ukraine edition started with young people between the ages of 13 and 17 in collaboration with the organization Molotok in Khust, Transcarpathia (Western Ukraine). A region that is still relatively safe and to which many refugees from other parts of Ukraine have moved.
“This is our daily life in pictures,” said one of the young people as a conclusion during the last workshop. Not only taking photos, but also sharing thoughts and feelings about what is going on with everyone, was central to the meetings, which were a combination of theory and practical assignments. During the workshops, examples of Ukrainian artists working with the medium of photography are presented, including the colorful portraits of Polina Polikarpova, a series about connection by Artem Humilevskyi, or work by Elena Subach who photographed wrapped cultural heritage to protect it against the war. After each workshop, the young people work on homework assignments themselves. Each session the images captured are discussed and the young people tell what concerns them. From dance lessons, to birthdays, the blossoming of spring, walks and coming across signs with the word ‘shelter’ on it with an arrow. In this ordinariness, the war casually comes close; like the red candles that line the streets when a deceased soldier from the region is brought back or buried, or during conversations about family members fighting on the front lines and saying that everything will be fine. It is about hope and bright spots, but also about sadness, tears and loss. Below is an impression of the images and stories.
Stay Strong Photo Stories #5 is an initiative of Framer Framed, Karine Zenja Versluis and Molotok. Karine is a documentary photographer with a Ukrainian background, visual storyteller and social worker specialized in trauma. Molotok is a cultural organization that organizes activities for young people in the field of film, photography, music and theater.
Ukrainian
Цієї весни стартував український випуск Stay Strong Photo Stories: як залишатися на зв’язку з собою та іншими в час, коли життя невизначене та непередбачуване? Stay Strong Photo Stories – це спільний фотопроект, у якому учасники зображують своє повсякденне життя на основі конкретних завдань.
Перша редакція проекту була створена, коли світ був у середині періоду COVID-19. Під час (онлайн) семінарів учасники використовували фотографії та історії, щоб знайти світло в дні, які були самотніми та непевними для багатьох людей. У березні 2024 року проєкт «Україна» стартував для молоді віком від 13 до 17 років у співпраці з організацією «Молоток» у Хусті, Закарпаття (Західна Україна). Регіон, який досі є відносно безпечним і куди переїхало багато біженців з інших частин України.
«Це наше повсякденне життя в картинках», – підсумував один із молодих людей під час останнього семінару. Не лише фотографування, а й обмін думками та почуттями про те, що відбувається з усіма, були центральними на зустрічах, які були поєднанням теорії та практичних завдань. Під час воркшопів були представлені приклади робіт українських художників із використанням фотографії, зокрема колоритні портрети Поліни Полікарпової, серія про зв’язок Артема Гумілевського чи роботи Олени Субач, яка фотографувала запаковану культурну спадщину, щоб захистити її під час війни. . Після кожного майстер-класу молоді люди самостійно виконували домашні завдання.
На кожній сесії обговорювалися зроблені кадри, а молоді люди розповідали, що їх хвилює. Від уроків танців до днів народжень, розквіту весни, прогулянок і зустрічей із табличками зі стрілочкою і написом Сховище. У цій буденності війна випадково наближається; як червоні свічки, які стоять вулицями, коли повертають чи ховають померлого бійця з фронту, або під час розмов про рідних, які воюють на передовій і кажуть, що все буде добре. Це про надію та світло, а також про смуток, сльози та втрати. Нижче представлені зображення та історії.
Stay Strong Photo Stories #5 – це ініціатива Karine Zenja Versluis, Framer Framed і Molotok. Каріне — фотограф-документаліст з українським походженням, візуальний оповідач і соціальний працівник, який спеціалізується на травмах. Молоток – це культурна організація, яка організовує заходи для молоді у сфері кіно, фотографії, музики та театру.
Albina: “These are the keys of our home in Shostka and I hope one day I can return back to my home.”
Albina: “Fire of grief: when I was walking to my dance class I saw this. Here in Ukraine, they put candles on the street when they say goodbye to soldiers that passed away. Or after a funeral. These candles are everywhere in town. My dad was also fighting.”
Albina: “These flowers growing through the cracks are a symbol of hope to me.”
Albina: “Transcarpathian cuisine: This was during and IDP (Internally Displaced People) food workshop. To learn about making a Transcarpathian dish. It is about the connection of being together and about learning about the new culture we are now living in.”
Zhenya Antoniuyk: “This is a photo from my house in Kyiv. I haven’t been there for a while because of the bombings. I took this photo with the sunset to show that even during the war, there is beauty around us. It helps us to stay strong.”
Halyna: “This photo is connected to the war. My brother is now fighting. He is somewhere at the frontline. When we talk on the phone, he never talks about the war. He always smiles and says that everything will be ok.”
Halyna: “I took this photo because we were in the bomb shelter during the air raid, but we were having fun there.”
Halyna: “I took this photo with a friend who moved from Ukraine during the war. We haven’t seen each other for a long time.”
Adolf: “I went out for a walk with my friend, and we found this frog. She was very photogenic and looked at us.”
Adolf: “I went for a walk with a friend and saw this photo with the sign that says ‘shelter’. It is the connection with the war.”
Alexandra Dyakover: “I decided to take this picture after seeing the colors that match perfectly, creating a beautiful composition. The yellow building, the clear blue sky and the yellow-blue flag are a perfect combination.”
Sofiya Sarvadi: “This was my birthday. It was a special birthday because it was the first time that I celebrated it not with my family, but with my best friend. And of course, as a gift, he kindly paid for everything.”
Sofiya Sarvadi: “Sometimes our school collects money for the military, and this is a box for collecting caps, which are then recycled and those funds also go to the military.”
Sofia Filip: “This photo shows us that spring has come. And this means that we are getting closer and closer to victory. It gives us hope.”
Olya: “Eyes are the mirror of the soul. It is a connection with people’s emotions. There is a phrase that says: ‘eyes are as deep as your soul’. “
Olya: “This week we had an air raid at school and we were sitting in the basement. The rockets only reached Transcarpatia once. But now during the air raid, we just have to go to the basement. It was quite boring to sit there.”
Alan: “We went on an excursion to the local museum in another region. There I saw these blockings.”
Alan: “This picture is about the connection with nature. It is important to look at the plants, but also to realize that as humans we are part of nature.”
Alan: “Sometimes I like to spend time alone and take time to think about all kinds of things.”
Elizaveta: “In the beginning of the invasion, people in Ukraine did a lot with the colours of the flag, like wearing clothes with the colours or with manicures. My mother made this for me. Before the war, nobody thought so much of the colours of Ukraine. Now everybody is more conscious about it.”
Elizaveta: The war makes a lot of tears and crying. I wanted to express this in the photo. My grandmother was also in a town under occupation.
Workshop / Extracurricular Activities / Ukraine /
Agenda
Book Launch: Stay Strong Photo Stories
Photos and stories of love, loneliness, hope and connection made during the lockdown
Stay Strong Photo Stories
Online photo project for youth
Network
