Oleksandr Chekmenyov’s photobook on Ukrainian life published in Germany

A photobook “Faces of War” (Обличчя війни) by renowned Ukrainian photographer Oleksandr Chekmenyov has been published by Kerber, a Berlin-based publishing house.

Chekmenyov focuses on Ukrainians’ lives and experiences resisting Russian aggression, portraying people who bravely face war in their daily lives. He spent over two years working on this photobook, which features two parts. The first includes 24 portraits of Kyiv residents, initially published in The New York Times Magazine in 2022, during the start of the full-scale invasion. The second contains 53 portraits of civilians who survived the occupation, documenting war crimes committed by Russian occupiers against Ukraine’s civilian population, according to Chekmenyov. 

The publisher emphasizes that all portraits were taken in the dark, using a flashlight to highlight the subjects’ faces and hands.

“For me, people always come first.” Chekmenyov said. “A country is made up of its people, and I want to make each of them visible and honor them through my photography.” 

Photo: Gallery Clara Maria Sels 

The book, edited by Chris York and photo edited by Andrii Lomakin, features translations by Arthur Bondar. Kerber distributes its photography, art, and culture books in over 80 countries worldwide. The book is available on the Kerber website for €45. 

Photo: Oleksandr Chekmenyov

Photo: Gallery Clara Maria Sels 

Photo: Gallery Clara Maria Sels 

Photo: Oleksandr Chekmenyov

Photo: Oleksandr Chekmenyov 

Oleksandr Chekmenyov is a Ukrainian photographer from Luhansk. He has received numerous accolades for his work, including winning the European documentary photography competition in 2000 for his series “Ukrainian Passport.” He was also awarded the Grand Prix “Photographer of the Year of Ukraine 2013.” His photographs are featured in collections of such prominent institutions as the Märkisches Museum, Witten, Germany; Mystetskyi Arsenal, Kyiv, Ukraine; Museum Ludwig, Germany; Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Museum of Kharkiv School of Photography, Kharkiv, Ukraine; Centre Pompidou, Paris, France; and Kunstmuseum Bayreuth, Germany. Chekmenyov has also authored several photobooks, including “Donbas” (2011), “Passport” (2017), “Lilies” (2020), and “Pharmacon” (2021). Chekmenyov’s work has been published in The New York Times Lens Blog, Time Magazine, The Guardian, and Vice Magazine.

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Copy editing: Ben Angel, Joy Tataryn