Many of them joined the vote for the exhibition’s best photo, since photos taken by its participants can leave nobody indifferent. During our stay in Mykolaiv, the audience award went to Anna Chapala’s photo Daddy Goes to War. The second place was taken by moving Tenderness, the photo taken by Ivan Bohdan, which shows a chunky soldier pressing a tiny puppy to his chest. Third place went to Olena Shunkina’s Sashko, depicting a refugee boy living in an old house.
Den’s Photo Exhibit, held in the Old Navy Barracks of Mykolaiv, has ended. “The exhibition has made a very good impression on residents and guests of the city alike, the spectators included youths, middle-aged, and elderly people, we had officials, volunteers, very different people coming to see it,” director of the Mykolaiv Regional Local History Museum Volodymyr Mykhailov told The Day. “There were lots of great photos, but I remember best the work which depicts a field on fire (Real Apocalypse). Your exhibition has become a fixture for us, and we will be happy to see you again. We already look forward to your next exhibition. We are happy to cooperate.”
“Den’s exhibitions are very interesting,” poet and journalist Liudmyla Shchetynina shared her thoughts. “They show how our lives are changing, what happens in our country. I still remember my emotions at the exhibition’s opening – it was a very crowded and solemn event, with many youths and soldiers in attendance. The exhibition and your books have aroused a great interest. Your books are very useful. More generally, Den is doing a great nationally important work, which is so essential for all of us. So, it would be logical for the state to support your initiatives, and at least purchase Den’s books for all school libraries. Mykolaiv libraries received a few sets of your books, but I think this is not enough, for every Ukrainian must read them.
YOU ALWAYS WANT LOVE AND FAMILY WARMTH IN HARD TIMES. PICTURED: THE PHOTO DADDY GOES TO WAR BY ANNA CHAPALA FROM POLTAVA, WHICH WON THE AUDIENCE PRIZE IN MYKOLAIV / Photo by Anna CHAPALA
“All photographers whose works were displayed at the exhibition are very interesting. I remember best Telephone Office picture, created by our own Anastasia Fastovets, who resides in Mykolaiv. The Pearl is a very good photo as well, and I generally had a lot of impressions.
“Mykolaiv residents appreciate Den’s decision to hold an exhibition here for the second year running, and we hope that this will continue. Overall, Den revealed a whole new continent to me, I mean our Ukraine. I read and knew a lot before, but the newspaper organizes our knowledge of the history and creates a very orderly system out of it.”
Many emotional impressions are preserved in the exhibit’s guestbook. Pictures of the war reminded people of the simple important things without which life becomes a ruin: in addition to expressing their gratitude for good photos, the visitors wished peace to everyone. “Thank you for these masterpieces which display events in vivid detail! May we all live under peaceful sky!” reads the comment written by students of the Petro Mohyla Black Sea State University. “May peace finally prevail! It is an excellent, informative, and moving exhibition, like everything created by Den and its supporters,” deputy head of the Mykolaiv Oblast State Administration Oksana Yanishevska wrote.
Our exhibit’s visitors included people from many cities of Ukraine. Oksana from Donetsk left a comment: “The exhibition has left me very impressed, for it displayed various works showing life as it is – and it is very different, being sad, joyous, happy at different points! May all your contributors enjoy peace, joyful emotions, inspiration, and create more positive works in the future.”
This early year event “vaccinated” Mykolaiv against all sorts of hardships of life, enabling the whole community to build a strong city. Den’s Photo Exhibit reminded its citizens of values and qualities which will together help to create a thinking society insensitive to political populism and brainwashing campaign waged by the aggressor country. “Thank you for the pleasant memories of our country which is the best in the world, and its indomitable people! Glory to Ukraine! Victory will be ours!” is another comment left by a visitor of our exhibition. So, goodbye, Mykolaiv! And see you again!
