Researching and Curating Photography from Ukraine: reflections, perspectives, challenges brings together scholarly essays, practitioner perspectives and critical reflections developed from a symposium held at the University of Salford in February 2024. The publication was curated by Kateryna Filyuk, with the symposium organised by Open Eye Gallery and the NGO Ukrainian Photography.
The publication explores seven interconnected themes — from decolonising narratives around Ukrainian photography and preserving fragile archives to the profound transformation of documentary practice following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The volume aims to support a broader understanding of photography in Ukraine, foreground Ukrainian perspectives and encourage further research and international exchange within the field of visual culture.
Topics explored throughout the publication include the development of documentary photography archives, the influence of the Kharkiv School of Photography, the re-evaluation of women photographers, and contemporary fine art photography examining the relationship between people, memory and space.
The symposium took place alongside the launch of Home: Ukrainian Photography, UK Words, a touring exhibition curated by Max Gorbatskyi and Viktoria Bavykina.
The publication was supported through the UK/UA Creative Partnerships programme, developed by the British Council and the Ukrainian Institute.