On May 6, the exhibition “Evidence of Life” by Ukrainian photographer Serhiy Melnychenko will open at the Yermilov Center of Contemporary Art in Kharkiv. The exhibition will combine three photo projects — “War Tattoo”, “Under the Dnieper” and “Films from the Front: Photos, Letters and Artifacts of Ukrainian Military” — created during the full-scale war in Ukraine. The photos will be complemented by personal belongings of the military, video installations, and a short documentary.
At the request of DTF Magazine, Melnychenko tells more about the exhibition and the projects presented there
About the exhibition
“An offline exhibition is always a great opportunity to communicate with the author directly, ask questions and learn about meanings, contexts, and behind-the-scenes stories. It seems to me that printed or exhibition material conveys the content of works, series, projects, and so on in a completely different way, with a different mood and character. Because different media work differently, whether it’s online, a photo book, or the same exhibition — the photographer presents projects from a different angle, focusing on certain elements while you’re working on the exhibition.
And also — the exhibition allows you to take the largest cross-section of photographs. And, of course, one audience looks at you on social networks, a completely different one comes to the exhibition. That is, this is the vibe that is actually categorically different from digital.”
“War Tattoo”
The series explores how the experience of war is imprinted on the human body. Through the projection of images onto the body, “tattoos” are formed — visual imprints of memory that become part of a personal story.
““War Tattoo” is dear to me because it is the first full-fledged series that I made during a full-scale war. Before that, I had not succeeded. I was shooting something, but it was more like diary notes, photographic sketches, of my surroundings, family, loved ones, and so on. But I do not treat these pictures as something serious.
And “War Tattoo” gave me an impetus to do something during a full-scale war that is not direct documentary or reportage photography. And the project went very well in terms of commercial and exhibition plans.
Also, this series is an opportunity to work with close friends and surroundings, to open them up a little more for myself.”
“Under the Dnieper”
The project addresses the everyday life of different population groups, capturing the emotions, relationships, and changes that occur to people in wartime. And shows how life continues despite losses, limitations, and uncertainty.
“This is a global, large-scale journey through Ukraine, meeting an incredible number of new people and discovering those already familiar in a new way. And as a result, more than 50 stories.
And this is also my first grant project and experience in making a documentary film — I will also present it at the “Yermilov Center”.”
“Films from the Frontline”
Melnychenko handed over the cameras to the Ukrainian military, asking them to document their own lives on the frontline. The photos are supplemented with personal belongings and letters.
“What I love most about this project is the enormous amount of communication with the military during its creation. This is such a logical continuation of my volunteer activities and relationships with the military, but in a photographic context, towards something artistic. And it is very valuable for me that I can be with them not just a friend, or a generator of some idea that they helped me implement, but also support them as a volunteer — I met half of the heroes of “Films from the Frontline” precisely thanks to volunteer activities
It is with “Films from the Frontline” that I am currently working most actively. And in this project I have discovered myself as an author in a new way. “War Tattoos” and “Under the Dnieper” were made directly by me, and “Films” were made without my participation as a photographer, but I collected materials, curated the series, and was the organizer and curator of the project.”
“Proof of Life” will run until May 31.
