In wartime, a photograph takes on meaning that far eclipses the scene at hand. A photo can serve as proof, or it can disprove. It can provide context, or it can obscure. It can shape, or be shaped by, our conception of how things are and how the world works. One thing is clear: in times of war, the messages conveyed through images carry extra weight and have real-life consequences.

“Bearing Witness: Photographs from Ukraine” is a collection of moments in time – tragic and heroic, devastating and hopeful – that demonstrate the power and durability of the wartime photograph and offer an opportunity to witness the war in Ukraine through the lens of those who were there. The photos in this exhibit were taken in Ukraine between 2014-2023 by Fulbright Program alumni Jenn (J.T.) Blatty, Alexey Furman, Brendan Hoffman, Serhii Korovayny, Oksana Parafeniuk, Joseph Sywenkyj and Emine Ziyatdinova. The selected images map the trajectory of the conflict, from mounting tensions following the Euromaidan protests to developments in the wake of Russia’s current invasion of Ukraine. Interspersed throughout are images of devastation and resilience that are set against the sprawling post-industrial landscapes of Ukraine’s occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions.