This week on Photojournalism Now: Friday Round Up – there are some amazing and devastating photographs coming out of Ukraine, which is not surprising given there are literally thousands of photojournalists and journalists from around the world covering this conflict and the humanitarian crisis.
The conflict is being documented from numerous angles – Ron Haviv photographed President Volodymyr Zelensky in his bunker, Anastasia Taylor-Lind is covering a story on surrogate mothers and Carol Guzy represented by Zuma Press is documenting the heartache of the elderly women who have stayed behind.
Ukraine
In the early 1990s photojournalist Ron Haviv was on the ground covering the conflict in Bosnia. His photographs from that time were used in The Hague as evidence of war crimes.
Haviv was in Ukraine this week for The Economist and 1843 magazines. His photographs of President Volodymyr Zelensky in the government’s bunker are chilling reminders that history repeats.
On April 5, VII Photo Agency is hosting a Virtual Event: Bosnia 30 years later: Lessons from reporting the Bosnian War. Ron is a co-founder of the agency. Find out more about this conversation that features Ziyah Gafic, Ron Haviv, and Paul Lowe here.
Poetry and war
Photojournalist Anastasia Taylor Lind read some of her incredible poetry on conflict photography from her hotel room in Lviv, Ukraine where she is covering stories for National Geographic amongst others. You can view her poetry reading for #poetsforukraine on her Facebook page. The reading inspired me to buy her poetry book One Language. As readers of Photojournalism Now know I’ve interviewed Anastasia numerous times over the years and she is also featured in one of the video interviews for Photojournalism Now: In Conversation. Anastasia is working on a story on surrogate mothers unable to leave Lviv.
Staying Behind – Carol Guzy
Carol Guzy, a multi-Pulitzer prize winning photojournalist is looking at the war through the other end of life’s spectrum, documenting the elderly who are left behind. Carol posted this picture and story on Facebook on yesterday. This is Lubov Oleksandra Kurdumova who is 84 years old. Right now I am caring for my 86yo father. It makes my head spin to think of him in the middle of a brutal conflict.
It is so tragic that in the twilight years of life, these wonderful souls who have given so much are now at the mercy of powers beyond their control.
From Carol’s post: “Ladies That Stayed…
‘Where should I go? I have nothing but Kyiv,’ said Lubov Oleksandra Kurdumova, 84 years old at her apartment in Kyiv, Ukraine on March 25, 2022. She chooses not to evacuate.
‘I was born on Trukhanov Island. There was a settlement of fishermen with a church, clinic, school. Everything burned down in 1943,’ she said. Most of the elderly compare the invasion to WWII…”
These stories of elderly women convey the far-reaching and long-lasting affects of war. It is so heartbreaking, and also infuriating, to think the world is once again at the mercy of a psychopath.
Exhibition
Women Street Photographers – New York City
And now for something completely different….The fourth Annual Women Street Photographers group exhibition featuring 79 photographers from 20 countries opens on 7 April at the El Barrio’s Artspace PS109 Gallery 215 East 99th Street. New York, NY 10029.
Last year on May 7 I published my review of the book Women Street Photographers, which you can read here. One of my favourite photos from this book by Orna Naor (below) is also included in the exhibition. This group show is a timely reminder that life is beautiful.
