In the midst of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, the resilience of the Ukrainian people shines in the photographer Brett Lloyd's photo essay, "Ukraine Today." Commissioned by Vogue Ukraine, this series captures the vibrancy of life persisting amid war, offering an intimate look into the lives of Ukrainians.
“'Ukraine Today' is aimed to elevate and amplify our personal and collective stories, and, I hope, to promote our culture, as well as to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of Ukraine's rich tapestry of identities and experiences,” said Julia Kostetska, Vogue Ukraine publisher.
Lloyd's initial trip in November 2023 to Donbas and the Kharkiv region, and then - to Kyiv, revealed a spectrum of stories from soldiers and paramedics to civilians and students, highlighting the paradoxical nature of hope amidst struggle.
“His [Lloyd’s] work features a diverse range of individuals, from soldiers to students to artists, all of whom embody the nation's steadfast resolve to maintain their identity and cultural expression despite the challenges Ukrainians face,” said Kostetska.
The photo essay marks a visual shift for Vogue Ukraine, focusing on the universally personal stories of real people. “We hope it will become part of our visual storytelling and will go down in history as an important documentation of the wartime country,” Kostetska said.
According to Kostetska, through this photo essay, Vogue Ukraine endeavors to portray Ukraine as a dynamic nation deserving of recognition, support, and solidarity on the global stage.
The "Ukraine Today" photo exhibition is open at the Taras Shevchenko Museum in Kyiv, running through June 30.
Oksana “Xena” Rubaniak at the Center for Physical Education and Sports of the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute in Kyiv, Ukraine, 2024. Rubaniak, a 21-year-old poet and social activist, joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2022 and is now a platoon commander of one of the Army's brigades. Together with her brothers and sisters-in-arms, Xena fought near Bakhmut, Vuhledar, and Marinka. In May of this year, she was promoted to the rank of junior lieutenant.
(Brett Lloyd/Vogue Ukraine)
Hanna Vasyk in Kyiv, Ukraine, 2023. A military medic and junior sergeant in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Vasyk became the first person taking part in Brett Lloyd's photo essay. On that day, she returned alone from the war zone in the east to Kyiv.
(Brett Lloyd/Vogue Ukraine)
Model Daria Makarova and her boyfriend, soldier Vasyl "Grizzly" Hrabovenskyi, in Kyiv, Ukraine, 2024. Vasyl, who grew up in Mykolaiv and in Lviv Oblast, was a designer and enjoyed sports and drawing during peacetime. He volunteered to join the Armed Forces at the onset of the full-scale invasion, following in the footsteps of his older brother and father. Tragically, at the age of 28, Hrabovenskyi was killed in action on May 13 on the outskirts of the village of Lyptsi in Kharkiv Oblast. The photo was taken in Kyiv three months before his death.
(Brett Lloyd/Vogue Ukraine)
Read also: ‘You stay because you’re needed.’ Foreigners volunteering in wartime Ukraine (Photos)
