A charity photo exhibition by Yelyzaveta Sirak, a Ukrainian photographer from Kharkiv, is currently on display in Chicago. The event aims to raise funds for children affected by the war in Ukraine and to depict their emotional state during a period of widespread armed conflict.
This was reported by Radio UA Chicago / Surma Newspaper.
The exhibition features photographs of Ukrainian children whose eyes convey the pain and suffering caused by the war. One of the key images is a photograph of a girl who is both smiling and crying. According to the photographer, the girl spoke about her fear of nuclear war, which haunts her even in her dreams.
Another central piece is "Light for Those Who Are Gone." The photo shows children holding lit candles. A poetic description next to the photo indicates that the lights symbolize the souls of deceased children. The exhibition also features bright photos of smiling children wearing embroidered shirts, which symbolize hope.
A separate section of the exhibition features a black album containing portraits of children who were killed or wounded. Next to the album are two posters: one with photographs of children killed or injured by hostilities and another dedicated to sixteen children who died in Kryvyi Rih on the same day.
"I have long wanted to do more than just take photographs. This charity exhibition provided me with that opportunity. It is about those whom the war has deprived of their childhoods, homes, and lives. The exhibition's main goal is to remind people that the war in Ukraine is still ongoing and that its most vulnerable victims are children," said Yelyzaveta Sirak, discussing the exhibition's concept.
The photo exhibition will run until July 12. Funds raised will go toward helping affected children. This project was made possible with the support of the Chicago Grand Gallery, the Samopomich Association, and Luxart, a Ukrainian clothing store.
For reference: According to the Office of the Prosecutor General, 631 children have been killed and more than 1,975 have been wounded to varying degrees since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine.
Author: Danylo Pievchev