Shoulder to shoulder: Ukrainian war photography in Odessa

Shoulder to shoulder: Ukrainian war photography. 5 galleries of reportage photography of the war in Ukraine have opened in Odessa. Witnessing the war is painful and exhausting. Every day we look at dozens of photos in which we see our hometowns destroyed, and our fellow citizens - homeless, wounded, tortured. Such a reality that none of us chose and in which we were all forced to find ourselves.

Photos by Julia Gorodetskaya

Witnessing the war is painful and exhausting. Every day we see dozens of photos of our beloved cities destroyed, and our co-citizens homeless, wounded, and tortured. None of us has chosen this reality, but we have been all forced into it. Not looking away seems to be increasingly challenging. 

Still, the role of war photographers is extremely important at this time. Risking their lives, they travel close to the frontline, to evacuation routes and sites of war crimes to document the truth and to show it to the world. They also work in the rear, tell the stories of displaced people, and document the contribution of volunteers and the changes that our cities are going through.

Everyone experiences war in a different way. Common grief consists of thousands of personal stories, just as common dignity, courage and resilience. Knowing and seeing these stories — the stories of our victories and losses, the moments of despair and excitement — is a part of our struggle for freedom and the first step in constructing collective memory of these horrific historical events. The step we are taking every day, shoulder to shoulder.

Photographers: Serhii Hudak, Pavlo Dorohoi, Yurko Dyachyshyn, Serhii Illyashenko, Serhii Korovainyi, Yuliia Kochetova, Mariia Matiashova, Kateryna Moskalyuk, Mykhaylo Palinchak, Oleg Petrasiuk, Volodymyr Petrov, Viacheslav Ratynskiy, Oleksandr Ratushniak, Yana Sidash, Alina Smutko, Maksim Finogeev, Nazar Furyk, Ihor Chekachkov, Valeria Yukhta.

Social media QR codes under images will redirect you to authors’ accounts.

Organizers: Shampanka, NGO “Institute of the development of Odesa” in a partnership with Odesa Photo Days Festival, with the support of Ambassadors of Culture and Vostok Bank.

Shoulder to Shoulder exhibition locations

1. The fence of the State Archives of Odesa Region - 18 Zhukovskogo St. (map)

2. The fence of Shampanka (Odesa Factory of Sparkling Wines) - 36 Frantsuzkiy Blvd. (map)

3. Central gazebo at Odesa City Garden (map)

4. The small square opposite the Quarantine Arcade at Taras Shevchenko Central Рark (map)
5. Stroganov Bridge (Hretska St., map)

Project team:

• Curators: Valeriia Nasedkina, Volodymyr Chygrynets
• Project coordinator: Olga Sidorushkina
• Executive director of “Shampanka”: Elena Pidoprygora
• Curator and director of Odesa Photo Days Festival: Kateryna Radchenko
• Designers: Svitlana Konoplyova, Anastasiia Shuripa
• Communication manager: Valeriia Shevchenko