VITALII MATUKHNO, VOLODYMYR PRYLUTSKYI
As a result of Russian aggression, settlements continue to disappear one after another, and along with them — history, culture, memories of people, and places that can never be restored. Family photo albums, which many had to leave behind with their homes, are also important fragments of history — both personal and regional. That is why we aim to try to create our own shared photo album.
Our smartphones and other devices hold countless memories: photographs of cities and towns, friends, family, celebrations, and everyday life. By turning to both personal and collective memory, we seek to reconstruct the image of the region and preserve it for future generations in the form of a photo album book that anyone will be able to browse.
By creating an exhibition from the collected photographs, we strive to build at least a temporary meeting place for former residents of the Donetsk region, where they can recognize their hometowns in others’ photos, share stories, and feel a sense of belonging to a community scattered by war.