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Photographs

Burning Chairs

2022

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"April 9. The city is restless. The battle is approaching the city boundaries and people can hear not only explosions, but also bursts of machine-gun fire. There are checkpoints on the roads. In some towns and villages of the region a pro-Russian government is already being installed. The scheme is as follows: a local official is taken away. First cajoled, then given a final warning, he escapes with his family and odious personalities appear, proclaiming themselves the executive power under the protectorate of the Russian military. In Kherson, by the way, the scheme has not yet been applied. Impressed by the footage from Bucha, many citizens decided to leave their homes and Kherson Region as a whole at their own risk and peril. Perhaps they realized that the faces of Russian soldiers and their own well-being depend heavily on orders. To create a pseudo republic is one thing, but with hostilities it is completely different. Some of those who remain are preparing bomb shelters. Kherson is getting ready. The Storyteller is getting ready as well. Three years ago, after the presidential elections in Ukraine, accompanied by loud applause, he told his famous tale about an actor and the head of a superstate. He aptly noted that being president is one thing and playing the role is another. He spoke in great detail and with great professionalism about what being president means: making decisions and choosing the right tools, creating a team of the right people, and being responsible for the results. Of course, there are so many fairy tales that they are forgotten far too quickly, but he remembers this one very well. Photos from Bucha, Kramatorsk, Mariupol, and Mykolayiv leave a lot of questions about the decisions, tools, and team, but the word “responsibility” is especially depressing. This is what distinguishes conscious activity from adventurism. The chair under the Storyteller is already on fire. What will he do next: be real or play a role?"
Photography, digital art, mixed technique.
Collection
Part of Ukrainian Art in Times of War: 2014-
Discover the art of resilience from modern Ukraine, featuring creative works that capture both the unflinching horror of invasion and the enduring beauty of the human spirit.
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Metadata

Creator of work
Ray, Mikhail
Language
English
Geographic Origin
Ukraine
Geographic Subject
Ukraine
Subject
Arts and culture
Artists
Arts
Politics and government
War
View all metadata for this item

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