Giorgio Bianchi, Francesca Adamo. News from the Ukraine Front
22.4.2021, 9:00 PM
Lab27 is pleased to announce the ninth installment of INCONTRI DI FOTOGRAFIA, which will take place on April 22 at 9:00 PM, live online on Lab27’s YouTube channel.
Joining us will be Giorgio Bianchi, photographer and journalist, and Francesca Adamo, editor-in-chief of Mimesis and director of the “Sguardi e Visioni” series. Using the publication "Teatri di guerra contemporanei" as a starting point, we will explore, through words and images, the long-running armed conflict in Donbass—the first to spill European soil with blood in the 21st century. The discussion will reflect on war reportage, the potential of photography, and the role of the media.
After the 2014 Maidan uprising, Ukraine is currently divided into two parts: the Kyiv government and the pro-Russian separatists. The main victims of this protracted conflict are civilians—thousands of people who have witnessed the unfolding of the Ukrainian crisis without having any real control over it. Some fled to escape the escalating violence, others stayed because they had no alternatives. Still others joined the army or local militias. Everything seemed to collapse: personal relationships, property, and the economy of an entire nation. Even today, Ukraine remains fragile. With tens of thousands dead or injured and over a million refugees, the civil war in Donbass has literally erased cities and villages from the map and marked European soil with blood for the first time in this century. Despite numerous ceasefires agreed upon in Minsk, the war has continued to flare, evolving into an exhausting trench warfare reminiscent of World War I.
Since 2015, Giorgio Bianchi has chosen to document acts of resistance in these battle-scarred territories, producing a series of moving reports that also capture the human desire to continue living despite tragedy. Despite power outages, the closure of all commercial activities, curfews, and almost daily bombardments, residents of Donetsk—a city controlled by the rebels—still flock to the Opera and Ballet Theater on weekends in search of a temporary reprieve. Giorgio tells the story of Alina, a professional ballerina from Donetsk, who believes that keeping performances alive is one of the few ways to ensure the city’s inhabitants can forget the horrors of war, even for a few hours. He also recounts Sasha, who lost his sight in an accident at age 11. Due to the conflict, the livestock company where he worked with his wife was closed, leaving all employees unemployed. The economic crisis caused by the war forces residents to choose between joining separatist militias or working in one of the dozens of independent coal mines surrounding Torez. Unable to join the militias because of his disability, Sasha works as a miner, but hopes to regain his sight through medical care made possible by Giorgio’s support.
Giorgio Bianchi (b. 1973) is an Italian photojournalist, documentary filmmaker, and blogger. He has carried out reportage across Europe, Syria, Russia, Burkina Faso, Vietnam, Myanmar, Nepal, and India. His photography focuses on political and anthropological themes, alternating long-term personal projects with commissioned work. Since 2013, he has traveled frequently to Ukraine to document, through images and video, the crisis—from the Euromaidan protests to the current conflict in Donbass. He has also covered the Syrian conflict since 2016. Giorgio’s work has received numerous national and international awards and is regularly published in print and online media. His photographs have been exhibited in Italy and abroad.
"Sguardi e Visioni": This new series, published by Mimesis, features contemporary photographic research and projects while hosting contributions from writers, essayists, and philosophers who have engaged with these practices. Its goal is to foster a deeper understanding of the creative realities of our time.
Giorgio Bianchi, Francesca Adamo. News from the Ukraine Front
22.4.2021, 9:00 PM
Lab27 is pleased to announce the ninth installment of INCONTRI DI FOTOGRAFIA, which will take place on April 22 at 9:00 PM, live online on Lab27’s YouTube channel.
Joining us will be Giorgio Bianchi, photographer and journalist, and Francesca Adamo, editor-in-chief of Mimesis and director of the “Sguardi e Visioni” series. Using the publication "Teatri di guerra contemporanei" as a starting point, we will explore, through words and images, the long-running armed conflict in Donbass—the first to spill European soil with blood in the 21st century. The discussion will reflect on war reportage, the potential of photography, and the role of the media.
After the 2014 Maidan uprising, Ukraine is currently divided into two parts: the Kyiv government and the pro-Russian separatists. The main victims of this protracted conflict are civilians—thousands of people who have witnessed the unfolding of the Ukrainian crisis without having any real control over it. Some fled to escape the escalating violence, others stayed because they had no alternatives. Still others joined the army or local militias. Everything seemed to collapse: personal relationships, property, and the economy of an entire nation. Even today, Ukraine remains fragile. With tens of thousands dead or injured and over a million refugees, the civil war in Donbass has literally erased cities and villages from the map and marked European soil with blood for the first time in this century. Despite numerous ceasefires agreed upon in Minsk, the war has continued to flare, evolving into an exhausting trench warfare reminiscent of World War I.
Since 2015, Giorgio Bianchi has chosen to document acts of resistance in these battle-scarred territories, producing a series of moving reports that also capture the human desire to continue living despite tragedy. Despite power outages, the closure of all commercial activities, curfews, and almost daily bombardments, residents of Donetsk—a city controlled by the rebels—still flock to the Opera and Ballet Theater on weekends in search of a temporary reprieve. Giorgio tells the story of Alina, a professional ballerina from Donetsk, who believes that keeping performances alive is one of the few ways to ensure the city’s inhabitants can forget the horrors of war, even for a few hours. He also recounts Sasha, who lost his sight in an accident at age 11. Due to the conflict, the livestock company where he worked with his wife was closed, leaving all employees unemployed. The economic crisis caused by the war forces residents to choose between joining separatist militias or working in one of the dozens of independent coal mines surrounding Torez. Unable to join the militias because of his disability, Sasha works as a miner, but hopes to regain his sight through medical care made possible by Giorgio’s support.
Giorgio Bianchi (b. 1973) is an Italian photojournalist, documentary filmmaker, and blogger. He has carried out reportage across Europe, Syria, Russia, Burkina Faso, Vietnam, Myanmar, Nepal, and India. His photography focuses on political and anthropological themes, alternating long-term personal projects with commissioned work. Since 2013, he has traveled frequently to Ukraine to document, through images and video, the crisis—from the Euromaidan protests to the current conflict in Donbass. He has also covered the Syrian conflict since 2016. Giorgio’s work has received numerous national and international awards and is regularly published in print and online media. His photographs have been exhibited in Italy and abroad.
"Sguardi e Visioni": This new series, published by Mimesis, features contemporary photographic research and projects while hosting contributions from writers, essayists, and philosophers who have engaged with these practices. Its goal is to foster a deeper understanding of the creative realities of our time.
