The strength of photographs of Eva Bilan-Stoch photographing Ukrainian soldiers is full of emotional faces and glances that exposure psychic scars created as a consequence of the struggles of war. With the winner of the prestigious fresh York Photography Awards, Magdalena Kowalska-Sendek talks about the request to supply assistance to the fighting Ukraine and represent the people affected by the war.
Nine silver awards and 1 honorary award you won at the fresh York Photography Awards. The Jury appreciated you for the series of portraits of “Round Souls”. Who are the characters of your photos?
The heroes of my cycle are most frequently Ukrainian soldiers who fought on the front line and in many cases have besides experienced the cruelty of captivity. The strength of these pictures is full of emotional faces and glances that exposure psychic scars created by the hardships of war. I am arrogant not only that my photos were awarded among over 100,000 applications from photographers from over 120 countries, but besides that I have been able to show the multidimensionality of the conflict and heroism of these exceptional people.
You've been going to Ukraine since the first days of the war. Did you immediately scope for the camera?
The first time I left for Ukraine was only a week after the outbreak of the war, which was in early 2022. At first I went to Lviv with a group of friends to get my cars from there Evacuate to Poland people who have fled from a war country. These trips were motivated by the request for a heart and had nothing to do with photography. This, however, changed erstwhile I began to scope Ukraine as part of various aid projects. I must admit, at first I had no circumstantial thought what or who I wanted to immortalize in the lens. I didn't want to photograph civilians.Because I felt someway uncomfortable photographing them in the face of tragedy. I always effort not to cross safety or privacy.
The thought for the "Round Souls" cycle was created after respective of my trips close the front line, where I was convoying field cars for Ukrainian soldiers. I was peculiarly close to the military due to the fact that fewer people know that I erstwhile wanted to tie myself to the uniform. I graduated from defensive education and assumed that I would proceed my education at the Academy of Land Forces in Wrocław. But then I met my future husband (Kamil Stoch, three-time Olympic champion in ski jumps) and my life changed, and I turned to photography.
When and where were your photos made?
I took pictures for a year and a half, mainly in Donbasa And close Zaporozh. erstwhile I managed to photograph the first individual with the alleged look of a 1000 yards, I knew that I would return to Ukraine to make just specified portraits. I wanted to be the voice of the people who experienced hell on earth. Show the planet the eyes of soldiers whose fight is besides fought outside the battlefield.
Full text in the 2nd issue of the Armed Poland.
