Gauging a Mood through Photography
Last Thursday the city of Khmelnytsky hosted a readers’ conference on Den/The Day Library’s new book Wars and Peace and was also the site of the launch of our newspaper’s photo exhibition displaying the best works of Den/The Day’s 4th International Photo Contest. It should be recalled that this is our second photo exhibition in this city. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Liudmyla Zadorozhna, curator of Khmelnytsky’s regional Art Museum, said many city residents still remember some items from the exhibition “The Day of a New Millennium,” which was held here in June 2002. As before, our newspaper’s editor-in-chief Larysa Ivshyna opened the exhibition. She noted that “in times of change and transformation, when words often do not inspire trust or are being deformed, people tend to trust what they see on photos, especially if they have been taken by a dedicated professional in good taste and modern style, which is in fact a distinctive feature of many works presented within the framework of the Den/The Day’s contest.” Ms. Ivshyna expressed the wish that as many city residents as possible see the photo exhibition- especially schoolchildren and college students, because “this is sort of a way to gauge the public mood.” As Mykhailo Vasylyshyn, the secretary of the Khmelnytsky City Council, noted, the photos include not only scenes of Beslan, which was not just Russia’s tragedy alone, but also a picture of a cheerful Ruslana, who made our country famous. Incidentally, Mr. Vasylyshyn personally promised to award a prize to the winner of the Viewers’ Choice Contest traditionally held in every city where our exhibition is staged. Another tradition is the question that is always asked of visitors, “What kind of Ukraine did you see at Den/The Day’s photo exhibition?” This time-shortly before the presidential elections-they were asked an additional question: “What kind of Ukraine would you like to see at the next photo exhibition?”
Olha MALIUTA, junior research associate, Khmelnytsky Ethnographic Museum:
“Although some of the exhibited photos are in color, I saw this country the way it is — mostly in black and white. The reason is the tragedies that some photos depict. As for the next photo exhibition, I would like to see a brighter Ukraine. To this end, I’d like to wish my country an honest government so that in the course of time we can reach a truly European level.”
Ihor BUDNETSKY, student:
“I saw a Ukraine without any pronounced negative features. Of course, there are some photos with a tinge of negativism-especially those depicting politicians and parliament. I would like to see no negative things at all.”
Bohdan TELENKO, editor-in-chief of the newspaper Proskuriv; head, Department of Journalism, Khmelnytsky branch of Ukraine University:
“I have a special feeling for Den/The Day. I use your newspaper’s files as a manual for a course on contemporary journalism. The newspaper Proskuriv has also borrowed some ideas from Den. For example, while you have the ‘Ukraine Incognita’ rubric, we have one called ‘Podillia Incognita.’
“As for Den’s photography, it is a genuine breakthrough in Ukrainian journalism. Unfortunately, no other publication displays such a high level of photojournalism. In this respect, you are pioneers.
“I have been going to your photo contests for three years and must say that this year’s one has a special tone. There is a feeling of tension that now prevails in and around Ukraine. I would like the Den/The Day’s Seventh International Photo Exhibition to be more optimistic. But in any case, Den/The Day’s photo exhibition is sort of a maser class for photojournalists; you are the best in the field.”
P.S. In one of our upcoming issues read about the readers’ conference in Khmelnytsky, which began with a discussion of the history of Ukrainian-Polish relations (the subject of the book Wars and Peace ) and ended with a debate on Ukraine’s political and cultural prospects. Incidentally, Den’s new book was launched last Friday in Kyiv at the World Books Fair.
