PHOTO KYIV
2021
The fifth annual photography fair Photo Kyiv 2021 will take place from the 12th to the 25th of August. This year’s international photography exhibition’s theme, “In|visible Lives”, will take place in the open air National Park “St. Sophia of Kyiv”.
Marinka Masseus - Chosen[not]tobe
The central theme of the largest photo event in Ukraine will be an inclusive modern society without barriers. The exhibit will draw the photographers and visitors attention to values such as respect, acceptance, compassion, openness and empathy; values that are necessary to create a united society with equal participants.
The event will be supported by the First Lady of Ukraine - Olena Zelenska. Among the partners of Photo Kyiv 2021 is the Department of Culture of the Kyiv City State Administration, as well as the embassies of the Netherlands and Switzerland.
Yuriy Danchenko
First Lady Olena Zelenska noted: “Photo Kyiv has become a space for the implementation of bold ideas and a demonstration of deep understanding of social and cultural issues of today. Photo Kyiv’s organizers dedicate this year’s theme to a barrier free society. "In|visible lives" is this year’s topic. This is another confirmation of the importance of a barrier-free society and this issue is moving from the social to the cultural space."
Photo Kyiv’s Organizers explained: "We considered several topics for this year's exhibition, but inclusion turned out to be the most relevant. Now Ukrainian society needs unity more than ever, because the pandemic has drawn a border between us. This year's Photo Kyiv will allow visitors to think about internal and external barriers that prevent us from perceiving each other as we are. Photo Kyiv supports the strategy of national inclusion and dedicates their anniversary to this important issue."
Joseph Sywenkyj
The jury of Photo Kyiv 2021 includes Anna Somers Cocks, journalist, curator of Victoria & Albert Museum, former editor of
The Artnewspaper, Carole Glauser Pidoux, art critic, curator of Photo Kyiv, and Serhiy Lebedynsky, famous Kharkiv photographer, director and founder of the Kharkiv School of Photography Museum.
89 photographers from 15 countries responded to the Open Call, presenting very different visions of barrier-free and inclusion from Ukraine, Canada, Belgium, USA, France, Turkey, Poland, Georgia, Switzerland, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Russia, Italy, Brazil, Netherlands and Spain.
Roman Pashkovskiy
Experts have selected 5 finalists, whose photo series will be exhibited during the "In|visible Lives" photo fair at the National Park
“St. Sophia of Kyiv”. Among them are photographers Joseph Sywenkyj with the photo series “WOUNDS” (USA / Ukraine); Roman Zakrevsky with the photo series of Roma portraits from Chernihiv region (Ukraine); Alina Proroka with the photo series of portraits of nursing home residents (Ukraine); Yuriy Danchenko with the photo series “Danza Down” (Ukraine); Oleksiy Tovpyha and the photo series “Cosmos of the Father” (Ukraine).
5 special projects will take part in Photo Kyiv 2021, including the project "Passport" by Ukrainian documentary filmmaker Oleksandr Chekmenev, 3 foreign photo projects by Marinka Masseus (Netherlands), Guido Klumpe (Germany), Mary Berridge (USA) and a photo series by Roman Pashkovskiy "The Invincibility Code: True Stories of Modern Heroes" by the Photo Kyiv partner - Favbet Charity Foundation.
The international photo event will include online educational events - round tables, discussions and artist’s talks, which will be attended by inclusion experts, art critics, photography experts, representatives of state cultural institutions, finalists of Photo Kyiv 2021.