Oksana Parafeniuk: Russian Invasion of Ukraine

© Oksana Parafeniuk

Curator’s Comment: Igor Manko 

“Russian invasion in Ukraine “ is not really a project as we normally refer to one. It’s rather a series of haphazard photographs that depict the haphazard state of Ukrainian mentality at the moment.

“It's too much to put into words at this moment for me,” says Oksana Parafenyuk, and it’s easy to understand. Caskets, funerals. A photo of the baby’s pacifier broke my heart.  Grief, grief and grief.

It’s too much to put into words for me as well. It’s a human dimension of a tragedy so difficult to comprehend. And still - it’s a very true report of what is going on in Ukraine.

That’s why I don’t like documentary photography.

© Igor Manko, 2025