Exhibitions
30 October - 14 November, 2009
Center for Strategic and International Studies
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
23 April - 13 June, 2010
Noorderlicht Photo Gallery
Groningen, The Netherlands
1 - 31 May, 2010
Alliance Française Gallery
CONTACT Photography Festival,
Toronto, Canada
13 - 24 September, 2010
European Commission Headquarters
Berlaymont Building,
Brussels, Belgium
1 - 30 October, 2010
FNAC, Brussels, Belgium
1 - 30 October, 2010
Council of Europe Youth Centre, Budapest, Hungary
Of all the republics of the former U.S.S.R, Ukraine is one of the most important. With a population of 47 million and a territory as large as France, Europe’s ‘new neighbor’ remains crucial for both Russia and the West. In addition to its natural resources, heavy industries and access to the Black Sea, Ukraine is a major transit country for Russia's oil and gas pipelines. Although independent since 1991, Ukraine has yet to form its national identity. Like many post-Soviet states, it is in the throes of an identity crisis.
In order to better understand contemporary Ukraine, the nonprofit organization Altemus commissioned a team of East European photographers from Sputnik Photos and young Ukrainian writers, to travel the country and capture its ethos. Their photographs and stories reveal a country caught between two worlds - 'communism and liberalism, tradition and modernity', but also a country rich in diversity and resilient in spirit. From the Donbas coalmines to Carpathian mountain villages, the Crimean peninsula to the capital of Kyiv, they bear witness to a country in full flux, on a journey to find itself and its place in the world.
Lead Sponsors: Fondation Vidrodgenia & Visegrad Fund
Project Photo Editor: Maria Mann, Director of Business Development, European Press Photo Agency.
Project Concept and Manager: Christine Medycky, Director Altemus
is an international collective of photojournalists founded by the alumni of Altemus' Leadership Training Programme. Its members, young, professional photographers from Eastern Europe, specialize in investigating and documenting life in transitional democracies. The privileged perspective and insight of Sputnik photographers into their region, allows them to capture daily life as it really is, without the standard western clichés and preconceptions.
is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping young people from emerging democracies develop their leadership potential so that they may be active citizens and serve their communities. To date over 150 young people have attended its residential leadership skills and competencies training programme. Altemus alumni are now in leadership positions in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe, the Baltic countries, the Commonwealth of Independent States and Turkey hold leadership posts. They are working to promote social justice, human rights, good governance, gender equality, environmental sustainability, HIV/AIDS prevention, independent media and youth development.
Photographs from the 'Ukrainian Journey' documentary project have been published in international publications (Le Monde Magazine, Polityka, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, EARTH Magazine, Christian Science Monitor, The Bulletin, Credit Suisse Banking Magazine and Ogonyk Magazine) and have won awards in the Czech Press Photo Competition (First Prize), Picture of the Year International Competition (Second Prize) and the Self-Publishing Book Competition - BLURP (Grand Prize).
Prints from the documentary may be purchased. Proceeds from sales will finance future training programmes. For print sales and other information, please contact Christine Medycky (Altemus) at altemus.online@gmail.com.