Beyond The Silence
In collaborative with Magnum Photos and Odesa Photo Days Festival (Ukraine)
Exhibition: 12 - 28 Feb 2025
Opening & Meet the Artist: 5pm, Wed, 12 Feb 2025
Venue: Chocolate Garden
[Opening & Meet the Artists]
5pm, Wed, 12 Feb 2025
Project Curator: Kateryna Radchenko
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 revealed global connections between countries and continents, underscoring the extent of their interdependence. Despite hostilities taking place in only two countries, the war in Ukraine has had a global impact, although the full extent of the ripple effect was not immediately apparent or widely reported in the media.
The Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights currently monitors 110 armed conflicts worldwide, and the past three years have been the most violent since World War II, with three major deadly conflicts, with three major deadly conflicts: the civil war in the Tigray region in the region of Ethiopia, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the bombardment of Gaza, according to a 2023 analysis by the Peace Research Institute Oslo.
The advent of the Internet and new media technologies has created the illusion of rapid access to reliable information on any subject, from anywhere. But it would be a mistake to assume that these images or data provide an absolute picture of reality, in a context where the endless flow of information raises an essential question: What is really happening? Numbers, in and of themselves, are nameless and abstract, devoid of personal context: they are unable to evoke empathy and interest in events that do not directly impact our daily lives. Only when individuals are closely exposed to conflict do they feel compelled to gain a deeper understanding of its nuances and seek to identify the entities responsible for causing harm or loss of life.
The “Beyond the Silence” project turns to photography as a medium that can convey authentic narrative and illustrate the impacts of actions taken by authorities and individuals across the globe. The artists create a space for shared observation and reflection, exploring avenues to address unanswered questions.
The project aims to explore the interconnectivity between five countries – Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Nigeria, and Myanmar – by fostering dialogue between photographers and displaying the artist’s personal stories and experiences, as well as stories from the countries themselves.
“Beyond the Silence” is a collaborative project organized by Magnum Photos in partnership with Odesa Photo Days Festival (Ukraine), with the support of the Open Society Foundations and Ukrainian Institute.
[Image by Sai from Myanmar]
