“Ukraine: Tales of Resistance” – The War Narrated Through Images

In June 2022, Victor, a resident of Andriivka, recounts the arrival of Russian forces in his village. The troops, many of them with family connections in Ukraine, had been trained in Belarus. Despite forming bonds with the villagers, the soldiers turned hostile when their food supplies depleted. They ransacked the village, slaughtered cattle, and even torched a house with their casualties inside. Before departing, they left a dangerous legacy of unexploded mines. Victor’s story was captured on camera in front of his warehouse under loose wooden planks.

This testimony is part of a collection of images and stories curated by Arianna Arcara from Italy, and also includes works from Mykhaylo Palinchak from Ukraine, Rafal Milach from Poland, and Sandra Shildwacher from Germany. These works were chosen for the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), a cultural exchange initiative by the US State Department. The exhibition, titled “Ukraine, Stories of Resistance”, is currently displayed at MAXXI in Rome until March 11th, and serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing conflict instigated by Putin.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Alessandro Giuli, president of the Museum of the Twenty-first Century, in the presence of various ambassadors including Jack A. Markell from the United States, Oksana Amdzhadin from Ukraine, and Edward Llewellyn from the United Kingdom. The exhibits, which include photos taken amidst the ruins of Donetsk and in the shelters of Kiev, counteract the disinformation propagated by Putin’s regime.

Arcara’s black and white photographs portray the resilience of the Ukrainian people amidst desolation. They feature teenagers, the elderly, and families trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy amidst chaos. One of the poignant stories is of Alina, who along with her family, had spent 92 days looking for refuge after their home was bombed. Her father, a 2014 veteran, now volunteers to deliver food parcels to isolated people.

Color photos by Mykhaylo Palinchak depict the grim reality of war, including the menacing remnants of the Irpin bridge, the grieving son of a fallen soldier, and young Yaryna Arieva, a member of the territorial defense. Sandra Schildwachter’s section titled “Should I stay or should I go?” captures the cramped living conditions of families who have escaped the conflict.

Rafal Milach, apart from contributing photographs, has also set up an online platform, UATLAS, to connect refugees and people still in Ukraine and share their stories. The powerful images and narratives on display at the exhibition, serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing conflict, leaving visitors to wonder about the current state of the subjects captured in these poignant photographs.