This exhibition highlights contemporary Ukrainian photography by reflecting the vibrancy, diversity and creativity of modern Ukrainian culture.

The Home. Perspectives exhibition brings together diverse projects from 17 Ukrainian artists who offer distinct approaches to image creation, and ways of seeing and thinking about Ukraine.

The exhibition is curated by Mariama Attah, Viktoria Bavykina and Max Gorbatskyi, together with six invited curators representing different cultural institutions across Europe and the UK who shared their perspectives on Ukrainian photography through the projects they selected and commented on.

Invited curators:

• Kateryna Filyuk (IZOLYATSIA. Platform for cultural initiatives, Kyiv and 89 books, Palermo),
• Ben Harman (Stills – centre for photography, Edinburgh),
• Louise Pearson (National Galleries of Scotland),
• Amelie Schüle (FOAM Amsterdam),
• Monika Szewczyk (The Arsenal Gallery, Białystok),
• Lindsay Taylor (the University of Salford Art Collection, Salford) 

Viktoria Bavykina and Max Gorbatskyi, curators (Ukrainian. Photographies) said: “While preparing this project, we realised that Ukrainian photography is very home-centred. In the sense that through their photographs, the authors, in one way or another, talk about their home, their own Ukraine.

Even if photographs often conceal more than they reveal, it is exactly through this multiplicity of subjects and themes, approaches and practices, photographs of revolution, war, houses crushed by russian missiles, images of miners, youth, cityscapes and abstractions, that the image of contemporary Ukraine somehow emerges”.

Sarah Fisher, director of Open Eye Gallery, said: “Home as about the celebration and survival of Ukrainian culture amidst more urgent survival, and Open Eye Gallery team are proud to stand with Ukraine as they fight for their home.  

Our era of international sharing online sees people uploading 2 billion photographs per day. Photography is now the international language of democracy. Home’s photographers reveal Ukrainians’ current experience, and as importantly, fundamental human values that underpin our idea of ‘home’: family and friends in a safe space, the beautiful landscapes of our home country, human creativity and the culture within which we recognise ourselves – our identity”.

Featured photographers: 

Valentine Bo

Igor Chekachkov

Alexander Chekmenev

Andrii Dostliev & Lia Dostlieva

Sasha Kurmaz & Sasha Burlaka

Viktor Marushchenko

Evgeniy Pavlov

Victoria Pidust

Viacheslav Poliakov

Polina Polikarpova

Andriy Rachynskiy

Anton Shebetko

Yaroslav Solop

Elena Subach

Daria Svertilova

Image credit: Polina Polikarpova, from the Pretty Ghetto series

Home. Perspectives is a part of Home programme, produced by Open Eye Gallery, Ukrainian. Photographies and partners across Liverpool City Region during EuroFestival. Commissioned by Culture Liverpool / Liverpool City Council.

Funders: DCMS, The British Council, Spirit of 2012, Arts Council England.

Supporters: Ukrainian Institute, Liverpool ONE, Liverpool BID.

Partners: Ukrainian.Photographies, Ukrainian Institute, dot-art, Kirkby Gallery, The Atkinson, Norton Priory, Unity Theatre, Williamson Art Gallery and Museum, Merseyrail, National Poetry Library, University of Liverpool, The Poetry Society, The Double Negative, Liverpool Poetry Space, Hurricane Films, Arthouse Traffic Films, Tilly Hire, Ocean Outdoor.

Home Trails venues: 92 Degrees Southport, Tempest, Mersey Made, Hafla Hafla, SUP, 92 Degrees Baltic, The Brink, Keith’s, Arts Bar Hope Street, 92 degrees (Hardman Street), The World of Glass Museum, Dead Ink Books, Shenanigans, Nova Scotia, Arts Bar Baltic, Bold Street Coffee, Victoria Gallery and Museum, The Egg Cafe, Ropes and Twines, Press Bros.