To mature to be worthy of our own history and the true essence of our country we also need to learn to say thank you and to be thankful. Unfortunately, Leonid Bakka, a person who worked as a photography for The Day practically from the very first day of its creation, one of the founders of The Day’s school of photography, passed away this year. Kostiantyn Hryshyn dedicated his victory to Bakka. One of the chapters of The Day’s new photo almanac, which we published right before the inauguration of the Photo Exhibit, is also dedicated to Bakka and his artistic heritage.
Thank God, The Day has found people to say thanks to throughout the 15 years of the newspaper’s existence and more than 10 years of the Photo Contest’s history.
“Ukrainians have two important holidays – Mother’s Day and Thanksgiving Day,” Larysa Ivshyna noted. “Today is a kind of Thanksgiving Day. Thanks to photo journalists, who supported my ideas at a certain point in time, a whole new cultural event emerged – The Day Photo Exhibit. I would like to thank you, professional press photographers, and those who were considered to be amateurs, yet became notable professionals in Ukraine through The Day’s Photo Contests. Ukraine gets to know itself better through your eye. My great gratitude goes to my family: my mother, my sister, my close friends, my husband, and all those who love The Day and support its Photo Contest. Now many of us seem to think that Apocalypse has come, but maybe, it is just the herald of the Light?”
We would like to remind you that Photo Exhibit Den-2011 in Ukrainian Home will last until October 30.
Oleksandr MARCHAK, 13, winner in the nomination “World as seen by children,” photo Basketball Player, Chortkiv:
“I participated in a contest called Kryshtalevi Dzherela (The Crystal Springs) that took place in Sumy, where works by more than 60 budding professional and amateur photo artists were presented. There also was a UNICEF spokeswoman from Kyiv there, and she liked my Basketball Player. It was her who advised me to submit it to The Day’s photo contest. The picture was taken on a chilly summer day at a children’s sports ground. At first I didn’t fancy going there at all, but my teacher asked me to take pictures of an athletic event. So I went there, and then I liked it, and afterwards I would go there every day. I’ve been taking pictures since I was five or six because my dad is a photographer. Athletics are my favorite topic because there is motion and dynamics there.
“The exhibit has some very interesting works by obviously powerful artists. In my opinion, it is very important for young participants to look at how professionals work.”
Viktor KOSHMAL, holder of special award from the company Adamant for his Dialog, Chernihiv:
“I lead a children’s photo studio Poshuk in Chernihiv. I attach a lot of importance to the phrase, ‘When a teacher stops learning, he stops being a teacher.’ It has greatly motivated me to take part in The Day’s photo contest. Photography has long been part of my life, and this constant desire to stay tuned makes me sweat my guts out. When asked how I work I always answer, ‘I won’t stop taking pictures until my shirt has dried three times, otherwise there won’t be a single worthy shot.’ In my work I stick to the words said by Oleksandr Rodchenko: a photograph must be simple and complex at the same time. It has to surprise and astonish at the same time. If this is absence from photography, it ceases to be art.
“The participation in The Day’s contest, as well as this award, proves my professionalism as a photographer. On the other hand, my authority among my pupils has risen even higher. Personally for me, the participation in the exhibit means that I am supported and appreciated, and my ideas are shared.
“This photo exhibit is a reflection of our lives, a reflection of Ukraine. You can find photographs made everywhere throughout our country, and it’s vibrant with life. We, photographers, can see it, capture it, and show it to people, while The Day handpicks the best ones and shows to everyone, so Ukrainians can have a better idea of what kind of nation we are.”
Terezia YATSENIUK, chairperson, Supervisory Board of the International Charity Foundation “Open Ukraine”:
“The photos are so variegated, they cover all kinds of subjects from politics to social problems to wildlife. And the series “World as seen by children” is so interesting! I saw what I had wanted to: my beloved country, beautiful, Ukrainian, and attractive. The photos inspire a wide range of feelings, from joy to sadness to patriotism. For instance, the pictures of older folks. They give you an insight into the situation our old age pensioners find themselves in today.
“All the plots are great. All of Ukraine is presented. We are very grateful to you for this photo exhibit. This is our history, which is important for any nation. After Ukraine gained independence, we got this opportunity to find out about our history. I know that The Day’s editor-in-chief and the staff take historical issues seriously and study them in detail. You publish great books on historical issues. You support present-day history, for the photos from this exhibit are also part of history. Years will pass, and our descendants will be able to see our own stories in these photographs.”
Kostiantyn HRYSHCHENKO, minister of foreign affairs of Ukraine:
“The Day’s photo exhibit is a huge cross-section of various emotional images which make up our lives. The works presented here emanate optimism, they show that there are a lot of things in our lives that are worth our effort. The exhibits include portraits of prominent politicians, but the faces of rank and file people and children prevail, and there are also pictures of animals and wildlife, everything that merges into Ukraine’s palette. I am really happy to have been here. Thank you ever so much.”
Valentyn NALYVAICHENKO, Chairman of the Political Council, Our Ukraine political party:
“I have not only seen but also felt my country here, and it was especially so when looking at the photo United by Oleksii Furman from Kyiv. This is what we call living history which The Day is writing about. This is the life which, in fact, we live, not the government that has built the wall and pretends that the citizenry obstructs its actions. Your newspaper lives the living Ukrainian history. You have modern understanding of it. It is more than just textbooks, it includes understanding of today’s and tomorrow’s life. Intellectual press is always able to influence decision-making in the country. It shapes the public opinion when it is sharp, intelligent, and interesting. Your newspaper has all these qualities.”
Oleh KOHAN, film producer:
“I attended The Day’s photo exhibit before. I should note that each time, its content changes. Looking at these photos, one can read life because they show it as it is in reality, unlike what we see in the pages of glossy magazines, where everything is distorted. I should also note that montage of photos and their purposeful layout are evident each year, and they are made to represent together a phrase of sorts. This is your distinctive feature. So, I am deeply grateful to all those who create this feast.”
Vsevolod LOSKUTOV, Councilor and Envoy with the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, 2002 through 2010:
“It is very important that The Day’s photo exhibit has become a tradition. Over these last 13 years, it has become a real event in the cultural life of Ukraine as it travelled through the nation’s cities and villages. Most importantly, each year’s photos reflect the realities of ordinary people. The exhibit includes so many talented compositions and scenes from the lives of seemingly plain and uninteresting citizens. For example, I liked the series of photos about opening of the club in a village in Chernihiv region. There are many such photos here.
“It is very nice to see again a photo that you show each year, that is, Borys Korpusenko’s Check Toast that depicts Viktor Chernomyrdin. It is The Day’s peculiar contribution to preserving the memory of the man who brought a lot of positive and constructive things to the development of Russian-Ukrainian relations.
“I wish for the exhibit to have as many supporters in the future as it has now. I also wish The Day’s editor-in-chief Larysa Ivshyna and all the editorial staff to have successes and achievements in your journalistic work and, in particular, the genre that you are presenting today.”
Bohdan DZIURAKH, Secretary, Synod of Bishops, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church:
“Against all odds, The Day’s photo exhibit is very optimistic, and I am glad that it is so. It is especially important when taking into account the reality in which we live. It gives hope. The media are important namely because they are almost bereft of all that is good and kind. After watching a half-hour-long news program just once, one can get depressed. However, the real life is different. It contains a lot of love, too. Obviously, The Day has understood it long ago: to have the society evolve in the correct direction, one should talk about our history, beginning with the Old Rus’ period, emphasize our historical victories and build solidarity around the current successful initiatives, for sustained negative imaging and unconstructive criticism are not conducive to growth.
“In my opinion, the most distinct feature of this exhibit is centrality of the HUMAN BEING. WE are shown here! All Ukraine is, in its diversity. At the same time, television screens and newspaper pages are occupied with the foreign life, life of the ‘stars’ and politics, while the HUMAN BEING is lost amongst all this noise. Prince Volodymyr Monomakh said long time ago: ‘Permit the mighty to destroy no man!’
“It is important that we all remember that God writes smoothly over human lame writing that slides down due to the writer’s pessimism.”
Yukie MOKUO, UNICEF Representative in Ukraine:
“I am impressed with great number of good photos. I am most impressed with the photos that were shot by children, because regarding photo quality, there is no difference between those images that were created by children and those that adults shot; that is, both groups are equally professional. I have even noticed that expression is more natural in the children’s photos. It is noticeable. We had a master class with international photographer Giacomo Pirotti this week, where he taught children the art of photography, and we would like to encourage more children to use this art to express their emotions. The master class was our prize for the exhibit’s participants. We were also joined by Sony company which gave each child a camera. I am grateful to The Day for enabling citizens of Ukraine, and especially children, to express themselves through photos, and I am confident that our partnership with The Day will further encourage children to participate in the competition.”
Natalia BATOVA, Councilor, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Ukraine:
“Having worked in Ukraine for several years already, I can not imagine my day without your newspaper. I have to read many different papers, but The Day’s opinions are more interesting than any other Ukrainian publication’s. I would like to express my special appreciation for the sections ‘Culture’ and ‘History and I,’ all articles of which I carefully analyze, and often receive a lot of information from them on Ukraine’s past, as well as significant cultural events that take place in different regions of Ukraine. While for a person 15 years is just age of adolescence, for a newspaper it is already maturity. The Day has its own face, its distinct position and is very interesting for the reader because of these features. I never attended this photo exhibit before and am struck by what I saw today. These photos are frozen moments from various events in the nation’s life, they depict it without retouching, with all its joys and sorrows... All the works are attractive because they are very humane and kind. Each photo calls for careful examination. For example, this braid is recognizable at the photo that shows how weary hands embrace the well-known female politician with tenderness and warmth (Hands by Vladyslav Musiienko). Each photo has its own perspective and its own magic that enchants the viewer and does not let him or her go, and each work has its own implicit meaning. I liked very much Valerii Soloviov’s kind and subtly humorous photo Suitor (it depicts a small boy on his knee before a tiny girl: he is more than a suitor and seducer, as the boy’s enthusiasm and sympathy are simply amazing!). I voted for this photo when filling out the questionnaire, and who knows, maybe it will get support from other guests of the exhibit, too, and this photo will receive the People’s Choice Award.”
Vlada PROKAIEVA, President of the Gifted Children Are the Future of Ukraine Foundation:
“I am pleased that the photo exhibit gives a chance for all, professional photographers and amateurs alike, to submit their photos. It is great that The Day, despite the difficult times caused by the global economic crisis, supports Ukrainians’ creative endeavors. Having acquainted themselves with this exposition, professionals can learn something from the masters, while amateurs can get a real lesson in photography. There are many interesting works presented at the exhibit, but I especially liked Ruslan Kaniuka’s photo Your Ukraine, which reminds me of one of our Foundation’s projects, namely one called Protection of Cultural Heritage, which is, by the way, supported by The Day.”
Yehor BENKENDORF, Director-General, the National Television Company of Ukraine:
“The exhibit presents versatile, professional, sincere, good-natured, clean, and green Ukraine. Interpersonal relationships that characterize this country are not to be found anywhere else. I wish for the newspaper do not stop its development, improve, and live to see its 50th anniversary, and then its centenary. I wish for The Day to develop and give people intellectual pleasure.”
Leonid NOVOKHATKO, Deputy Head of the Kyiv City State Administration:
“In short, everything that I saw at the exhibit is strict truth. After examining all the photos, one can see that some of them were shot, to use musical terminology, in C major, some others are like C minor, but there is the third group, too, and it may be the most valuable one: it is difficult to determine what is the genre of these latter photos, but they inspire thought, meditation, analysis of our existence. This feature of the exhibit is most interesting and valuable for me. Also, I would single out the series of dynamic portraits, because it is no secret that some photographers, including some who work for print media, engage in low-quality photography. However, there are also photographers who look for correct perspective more aggressively, look for the best light, shadow, thought, and eyes. I will remember this exhibit first of all because of these portraits with very, very different eyes. The photo we have awarded the prize is closest to everyday life, the life which an ordinary Kyivan lives. It shows a street that is saturated with life, dynamic, sometimes in disarray and oversaturated with advertisements, signs, buildings, and people; we see it every day, so we do not reflect on how we got here and what will happen next. Therefore, the very perspective that the photographer found, is the most interesting.”
