“Ukrainian Chance” – this is what Kherson artist Stas Volyazlovsky called his photo exhibition of a socio-psychological children’s portrait, which opened on June 9 at the Oles Honchar Kherson Regional Universal Scientific Library
A supporter of the conceptual approach in art, the artist also avoids straightforwardness here. At first glance, everything seems simple – unpretentious genre scenes, usually calm, without strain or acceleration. Children are everywhere in the photos: alone and in groups, indoors and outdoors, with adults and by themselves, eating or playing, or simply looking into the lens. If you observe them, taken out of the general context, the author’s ability to notice shades of psychological states and to compose the frame using a colorful, “speaking” background stands out. But considering that the photos were mainly taken in large Ukrainian families, it is easy to notice that the works acquire an additional resonance and new layers of meaning may open up.
In recent decades, Ukraine has been rapidly “aging,” losing hundreds of thousands of its population annually. The paradox of declining birth rates is also that, while pointing to economic reasons for the reluctance to have children, some quite obvious facts are overlooked. Children’s voices are heard less in the courtyards of mansions whose owners do not experience financial difficulties, and more where there are significant hardships. It is large families that now largely provide the country with future citizens. Ukraine’s chances of survival depend on them. Although it is unknown whether they will agree to accept the social niche assigned to them by our harsh society, whether they will try to change it or, as many do, leave forever.
When the photographer captures a child’s gaze in the lens, one can read what chance this country has. Probably the same as these children…Link
