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"Shores of the Seversky Donets"

... There is also another Don, a smaller river,

which originates in the Seversky Principality,

and called - Seversky Donets.

This river above Azov falls into the big Don

(the traveler of the XVI century Alessandro Guanini)

 

On July 12, 2017, in the Kirovohrad Regional Art Museum, a photo exhibition "Severskiy Donets Coast" was opened by the member of the National Union of Photo Artists of Ukraine Serhiy Pilipovich Zholonka. 

The exposition included more than 60 photos in the reporting genre, made in the front line zone of Luhansk region in June 2017.

In his photo project, the author aims to acquaint the citizens of Kropivnitskiy with the realities of these territories, making a certain cut of life in conditions of war and peace, the revival of cities and villages after active military actions.

The geographic marker for the photographer Sergei Zholonka was the Siversky Donets River, the shores and bridges that became the scene of the tragic events of the newest Ukrainian history three years ago, in the summer of 2014. The river itself remains the battlefield and the border between the liberated part of Lugansk region and the so-called "LNR". In July 2014, the towns of Severodonetsk, Lisichansk, Rubizhne and other settlements under the authority of the "republic" were released by Ukrainian military and law enforcement. In the liberation operations, residents of Kirovograd region took part. Since then, one of the bridges across Seversky Donets is informally called "Kirovohrad". For release, a fairly high price was paid - human life. Many militants died from militants, including the commander of the Kirovograd Rifle Battalion, a colonel (posthumously) Pavel Snizar. It happened on July 23, just when crossing from Severodonetsk to Lisichansk along the bridge across the river. The name of the river became a tragic symbol - hence the idea and the name of the photo project. That is why it is so important to build bridges of understanding and dialogue between different regions of Ukraine, Lugansk and Kirovograd regions.

Present photolights are conventionally divided into three groups: "War", "City" and "World".

The first, most numerous group included photographs united for the most painful topic of the entire eastern region of Ukraine - the theme of the war, which has been going on for more than three years. Ruined residential buildings and official buildings, blown up bridges, only one of which was restored, and with the help of the European Union, "fresh" monuments to the dead and an automobile with the inscription "Freight 200" are habitual things for local residents.

The second group, entitled "The City", features photos in genre photography, portraits and landscapes of these incredibly beautiful places. In this group, the author tried to convey the problems of everyday life of the inhabitants of Severodonetsk and Lisichansk, the history of settlers who were able to start their own business in a new place, the city's day in Rubizhne with the contest of embroidery, problems of the giant plant "Azot", which is not working, and others, not less interesting, stories.

The third group, entitled "Peace", includes portraits of the military Armed Forces of Ukraine and police, volunteers and ordinary citizens whose efforts reign in peace in these territories. 

 The project is being implemented with the support of the National Exchange Program funded by the European Union and the National Endowment for Democracy. 

 

Lesya Nestroyna Research Fellow,
Department of Scientific and Educational
Work Kirovograd Regional Art Museum