With (Y)our Own Eyes: Brave Work of Ukrainian Photographers on show in Exeter
To mark the tragic anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the country’s nine-year war for independence, Maketank, Exeter’s cultural laboratory, and the Devon Ukrainian Association are presenting an exhibition of frontline photography by Vlada and Kostiantyn Liberov.
Among the first civilians to enter Ukraine’s north-eastern Kharkiv region just behind the successful counteroffensive that forced the Russian military to retreat, the Liberovs have seen with their own eyes the horrors of this war and the joy of ‘liberated’ Ukrainians.
The Liberovs have travelled the country placing themselves in the heart of the conflict in Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Bucha, Irpin, and many others. Speaking of their current work,
Kostiantyn Liberov has said: "Our main task is to make sure that no one forgets about the war. It may sound strange, but we want to show all these horrors beautifully."
They use social media to amplify the everyday experience of Ukrainian people and its defenders. Their photographs have appeared in magazines, newspapers, television and radio across the world, as well as on the social media pages of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and elsewhere.
Over the seven months of the invasion, the couple have regularly come under fire, steadfastly trying to be as close to the fighting as possible.
“We are guided by the excellent quotation from [American-Hungarian war photographer] Robert Capa, who said, ‘If your pictures aren’t good enough, you aren’t close enough,” Vlada said.
The Liberovs’ profoundly moving photographs were last exhibited at Maketank in June 2022 as part of the ‘I Welcome Refugees’ exhibition with Amnesty International Exeter. This new exhibition will present photos from the last six months and focus on themes of front lines, volunteer efforts, stories of people and their land.
Additionally, new artwork created by Ukrainians in Devon will also be displayed alongside documentary video footage by Alexandru Dragan from interviews with displaced Ukrainians in Devon over the last 10 months.
A spokesperson said: "We invite people to see Ukraine now with your own eyes and stand in solidarity with the defenders of our shared democratic ideals, as well as to better understand the experiences of our more than 1,600 new residents in Devon from Ukraine."
"One reason why Ukraine is holding on", as Kostiantyn has said, "Is because we haven’t been forgotten. Our Western partners haven’t forgotten us, and we haven’t let ourselves forget either."
The exhibition runs from Thursday 23 February until Saturday 4 March, open Tuesday to Saturday, 10-4pm at Maketank, 5 Paris Street, Exeter EX1 2JB
Find out more about The Liberovsat https://libkos.com/ and The Devon Ukrainian Association at www.dua.org.uk
