Ukraine

This is a periodic email from SDN focusing on global issues explored by SDN photographers.

This issue focuses on Ukraine, a former Soviet republic that gained independence in 1991 and has been struggling to build democratic, modern, and open institutions ever since. In November 2013, Russian-leaning Ukraine president Viktor Yanukovych was presented with a choice to accept European Union support (with the demand that former president Yulia Tymoshenko be released from prison) or accepting a Russian bailout package of $15 billion which included heavy handed coercion by Russian president Vladimir Putin. Yanukovych chose Russia and demonstrations immediately broke out in Kiev under the banner of Euromaidan. This began a three months protest on the Maidan, the central square in Kiev, culminating in the death of nearly 100 demonstrators last month and Yanukovych fleeing to Russia.  

As this issue of Focus goes to press, Russian troops have seized control of Crimea, a semi-autonomous Ukrainian peninsula in the Black Sea with an ethnic Russian majority and home to the Russian Black Sea fleet. Not since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 has Russia (then the Soviet Union) and the US faced such a standoff.

As the exhibits below show, Ukraine has been struggling with a failing economy, rampant corruption, a disaffected youth, a legacy of Chernobyl, but a yearning for a future in a modern and open world.    

--Glenn Ruga

SDN Founder & Director  


Euromaidan Kiev

Photographs by Arthur Bondar

Arthur Bondar Kiev 

Photo by Arthur Bondar: Protestors pray and bring flowers to commemorate the victims of the regime. 06.12.2013  


"Ukraine was always in a difficult economic and political situation and it didn't matter to the leaders. Politicians always care about themselves but not the people who live in this country. The level of corruption and crime increased especially in the last few years. At that time protests became higher every year. On November 21, 2013 a huge wave of people's demonstrations and protests began. During the last three months people were struggling for their own rights in their own country. After the 18-20 of February when snipers and police killed almost 100 people, the president of the country fled to Russia. The opposition formed a new government and a new election will be on the 25th of May this year. But it seems to me that even the leaders of the revolution lost control of what is happening in Ukraine. People are also disappointed in their leaders but still believe in a peaceful future for Ukraine."  --Arthur Bondar

View exhibit>>

 


Other SDN Exhibits from Ukraine

Moloch>>
by Marcin Klimek/Ukraine

'Moloch' a book under this title, contains a series of photographs from Ukraine and Estonia. The photographs are prefaced with an essay about the deadpan photography, semiology, mind analogies and image perception...

History of one dose>>
by Arthur Bondar/Ukraine

Most people who try drugs at first in Ukraine are not even 15 years old. This story is about two young men. One is Vitaliy from Vinniza and another one is Pavel from Kiev. When Vitaliy was 14 years old he  fell in love with a girl in Vinniza. One day she betrayed him with drugs and Vitalik ...

'Odessa' May 2012>>
by Giles Clarke/Ukraine

The city of Odessa is located on the Black Sea in  Ukraine. It is the biggest port in the area and is home to many Chechen immigrants who continue to arrive here after 15 years of war in Chechnya. Many come to work then move on. I walked around the port on a quiet Sunday morning...

Right for Living: Roma village after flood>>
by Arthur Bondar/Ukraine

This is a small village of Ukrainian gypsies near Kiev. It was built in 2005 after the massive flood in the western Ukraine. They lost everything: houses, gardens, clothes, documents. The government gave them $50 for compensation. This is not enough even for food. Nowadays there are 40-50 people ...

The Place of Last Hope>>
by Arthur Bondar/Ukraine

The children's neurosurgery clinic lead by Professor Orlov Yuriy Oleksandrovich is the best clinic of this type in Ukraine. It was built i 1950. From that time, many parents come here with the last hope and pray to help their children because the other doctors say that they can do nothing. This clinic ...

Forgotten Children of Kharkiv, Ukraine>>
by Magnus Holm/Ukraine

Kharkiv, the second largest city of Ukraine, appears polished before it will host several football matches in the European Championship of football. But under the newly polished surface is the reality more dark. Thousands of street children lives in basements, sewers and abandoned houses, and ...

Forgotten>>
by Sasha Maslov/Ukraine

About 20 years ago, time stopped in many small industrial towns in Eastern Ukraine with massive shutdowns of coalmines which by that time were completely outdated and could not give profit to the state. The new country took its course and people started looking in a different direction. At that ...

The Chernobyl Republic: Liquidators>>
by Petr Toman/Ukraine

During the 10 years of clean up work, 600 - 800 thousand clean-up workers of all kinds of professions from across the former Soviet Union were involved in liquidating the aftermath of explosion of Reactor 4 of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Although it occurred 25 years ago, the event is still...


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Advisory Committee 
Kristen Bernard 
Lori Grinker 
Steve Horn 
Ed Kashi 
Reza 
John Sevigny 
Jeffrey D. Smith 
Steve Walker 
Frank Ward 
Jamie Wellford

Volunteer Staff 
Glenn Ruga 
Founder & Director

Barbara Ayotte 
Communications Director

Caterina Clerici 
Special Issue Editor

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SDN Call for Entries   
Narrative Documentary: Still & in Motion
Deadline for Submissions: April 18, 2014

 

While millions of photographs are taken daily and posted to Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, and other image sharing services, only a small fraction tell a narrative story and a smaller number would be considered documentary. For this call for entries, SDN is seeking submissions that create a coherent documentary narrative, first with the images and then providing necessary context with text and optionally, sound and motion. All themes, subject matter, and formats are encouraged.    

 

This is the first SDN call for entries where multimedia submissions will be eligible.

First Place winner to receive:

  • Featured in inaugural issue of SDN Annual, with 8-10 pages devoted to the grand prize winner. The Annual will be mailed free to leading editors, publishers, photo buyers, and galleries, and available for purchase. Winner to receive 10 complimentary copies.
  • Featured in email Spotlight sent to SDN's 7,000 followers.
  • Featured on SDN's home page.
  • Featured on SDN social media.
  • Receive a one year subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud.  
  • A $250 gift certificate to Digital Silver Imaging, one of New England's leading digital labs and one of the few labs in the US to offering digital silver gelatin printing. For more information, see: www.digitalsilverimaging.com
  • Receive a signed copy of Afghan Warrior, a DVD video documentary about Reza, a famed National Geographic photographer (and SDN advisor), and his journeys to Afghanistan to seek a portrait of a nation. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1571735/ 
More information >>

Hosted by Amoskeag Studio
Tuesday, March 4

7:00 pm
250 Commercial Street, Suite 2007
Manchester, New Hampshire

 

Join us as Amoskeag Studio presents an evening with award-winning photojournalist Dominic Chavez and SocialDocumentary.net founder Glenn Ruga. In addition to showing and discussing their work, Dominic and Glenn will speak about the continuing importance of documentary photography in our contemporary world..    

 

More information >>

SDN Exhibit  
Using the Power of Photography to Promote Global Awareness
Winners of SDN Call for Entries

 

Sheri Fink  

Opening reception. Photo by Matthew Lomanno.

View photos from reception and panel discussion. >>

 

February 27 - March 20, 2014
powerHouse Arena
37 Main Street, Dumbo, Brooklyn, NY

 

Grand Prize Winners: Gwenn Dubourthoumieu &
Mark Tuschman

SDN Documentary Prize: Fausto Podavini
Honorable Mentions: Carol Allen Storey and Suvra Kanti Das  

 
More information >>

SDN is now offering portfolio reviews of members' work
SDN is launching a new educational program to help photographers progress in their careers as documentary photographers. Glenn Ruga, SDN Founder and Director, is now offering portfolio reviews of members' work.

More information >> 

About SocialDocumentary.net
SocialDocumentary.net is a website for photographers, NGOs, journalists, editors, and students to create and explore documentary exhibits investigating critical issues facing the world today. Recent exhibits have explored oil workers in the Niger River Delta, male sex workers in India, Central American immigrant women during their journey north, and Iraqi and Afghan refugees in Greece.Click here to view all of the exhibits.