Today, February 8th, in the main palace of the city of Florence, Palazzo Vecchio, an exhibition by photographer Massimo Listri dedicated to the grandeur of Kyiv opens. The maestro captured the architectural sophistication of the cultural heritage of the Ukrainian capital during his visit in October of last year, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy. The exhibition will run until March 8, 2024.

Indeed, Kyiv, as a city with a millennia-old history, will reveal itself to Italians in all its grandeur thanks to the talent of Maestro Listri. Florentines and guests will be able to experience Kyiv through the lens of this distinguished master. The city impressed him not only with its beauty but also with its boldness, resilience, and unyielding spirit.

“It’s a precise choice that Massimo Listri makes with these photos,” declares Mayor Dario Nardella, who will be present at tomorrow’s exhibition opening: “images that at a first, hasty glance appear timeless and spaceless but, upon closer and more detailed inspection, reveal all the anguish that accompanies the Russian invasion of Ukraine for two years. A huge theater with red velvet seats completely empty, hundreds of photos of women and men gathered together in a grim collage of the fallen, sacred places gutted of any religion, luxurious ballrooms halted before the last dance, stocks of bread ready to be distributed, artworks covered, sandbags seeking shelter from the horror. A war without protagonists and blood but which looms imminent from Listri’s images.”

The photographer captured the beauty of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, palaces from the 18th century designed by Italian architects. Each snapshot by the artist is filled with love for Kyiv, which he views not just as a subject for photography but also as a work of art that lives in every pixel of his creativity.

Massimo Listri is a renowned master of interior photography. Over 30 years of activity, he has photographed almost all of the world's most beautiful palaces, libraries, and museums.