The 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence is a significant reason to reflect on our experiences of achievements and setbacks, discoveries and disappointments. No great story unfolds smoothly. It is woven from events, each playing an important role and each needing to be documented and preserved, for this is our reality.
In 2021, many books were published detailing the history of modern Ukraine, but this book is not one of them. We did not aim to create a textbook on history or an album of Ukrainian documentary photography. Our goal was to showcase the path of independence through the eyes of several generations of talented Ukrainian reporters and documentarians, making it engaging for both a wide audience and specialists. You won't find a comprehensive list of names and historical events here; however, the photos collected in this book are not merely reflections of their time. They are symbols, an important historical and cultural legacy that has the power to change public opinion and, in turn, influence history. The 144 images by over 60 photographers—winners of both Ukrainian and international competitions—have created a unique artistic publication that captures the contemporary history of Ukraine and presents it to the world.
As you flip through the pages of this album, each person will see Ukraine in its many forms, yet still familiar: reliving the day of independence declaration and the adoption of the Constitution, participating in protests and revolutions, witnessing significant sports events and world record achievements, meeting prominent Ukrainians and unknown heroes, descending into a coal mine and soaring on the wings of "Mriya," and witnessing the struggle against ecological disasters, communist idols, and pandemics. These photos, sometimes painful and brutal, are part of the essential process of creating national identity. They have contributed to making Ukraine stronger.
We do not claim to provide a complete picture or encyclopedic objectivity. Photography is subjective, and that is part of its magic. Our experience has allowed us to gather disparate images and share a perspective on history through the eyes of Ukrainian documentarians, showcasing it in the context of world photography. For history is not just what happened; it is what remains in our memory. History without photography is merely words, and in the modern world, words are no longer trusted. Documentarians, if they do not create the history of our independence, at least help ensure that it is not distorted by those who wish to rewrite it.
The working title of the project was "100 Best Documentary Photographs of Independent Ukraine." However, telling the story of the country solely through the "best photos" turned out to be a utopian idea. The initial concept was for the book to consist of sections, each dedicated to a specific decade, but that would have resulted in uneven volumes. The period after 2014 occupies nearly half the book, not because those events seemed more important than others, but because they were more thoroughly documented.
Therefore, we decided to abandon that division and simply arranged the photographs in chronological order with brief historical notes. Nevertheless, readers will still notice three informal eras: the post-Soviet period (1991–2000), the stagnation period (2000–2012), and the breakthrough (2014–2022).
When we finished the book, we saw how interconnected the history of Ukrainian photography is with what is happening in the country. It seems that tragic events provoke documentary photography and other forms of art to evolve. Over the past eight years, a generation of young authors has emerged, thinking in terms of projects, which has elevated Ukrainian documentary photography to a global level.
I realized that I no longer perceive history as a list of dates, events, and names. Working on the book helped me see how certain historical events laid the groundwork for others and how pivotal moments are interconnected—not just in a narrative sense, but visually as well. We are now working on an English-language version of the album. — Mstislav Chernov
"Independent" encompasses the political, cultural, and sports events, tragedies, hopes, pride, and joys of Ukraine—not just documentary photographs, but a cultural heritage that showcases the best of Ukrainian documentary work, which has never been compiled under one cover.
"Independent" is a comprehensive study and preservation of modern Ukrainian photographic heritage that deserves to be introduced to the world. In addition to the Ukrainian version, an English-language edition is planned, printed to the highest standards, making it a perfect coffee table book for Ukrainian diplomats, cultural figures, and politicians, as well as being interesting for every Ukrainian.
"Independent" is a unique collection that combines high-art photographs from the most renowned contemporary Ukrainian documentarians with lesser-known images that have yet to reach a wide audience. Moreover, this publication draws attention, perhaps for the first time in recent years, to the exceptionally high level of professionalism among Ukrainian documentarians, who tirelessly continue to capture our history despite the risks and obstacles they face daily.
Until 1991, street photography was almost nonexistent. Political life was documented better, but even those images were sometimes lacking. Due to the absence of photographs, we could not include the monetary reform of 1996, when the new national currency, the hryvnia, was introduced. International sports competitions featuring Ukrainians were also not photographed. While such images exist in agencies and foreign photographers' collections, they are absent in domestic ones. At that time, Ukrainian photographers were surviving, while foreign ones only captured what interested them.
A significant watershed year is 2014, after which photographers began to cover various events in their unique ways. The book includes not only the works of well-known authors but also those of lesser-known ones. One of the images from the Maidan was even taken by a girl who was not connected to photography at all. — Mykhailo Palinchak
The 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence is a significant reason to reflect on our experiences of achievements and setbacks, discoveries and disappointments. No great story unfolds smoothly. It is woven from events, each playing an important role and each needing to be documented and preserved, for this is our reality.
In 2021, many books were published detailing the history of modern Ukraine, but this book is not one of them. We did not aim to create a textbook on history or an album of Ukrainian documentary photography. Our goal was to showcase the path of independence through the eyes of several generations of talented Ukrainian reporters and documentarians, making it engaging for both a wide audience and specialists. You won't find a comprehensive list of names and historical events here; however, the photos collected in this book are not merely reflections of their time. They are symbols, an important historical and cultural legacy that has the power to change public opinion and, in turn, influence history. The 144 images by over 60 photographers—winners of both Ukrainian and international competitions—have created a unique artistic publication that captures the contemporary history of Ukraine and presents it to the world.
As you flip through the pages of this album, each person will see Ukraine in its many forms, yet still familiar: reliving the day of independence declaration and the adoption of the Constitution, participating in protests and revolutions, witnessing significant sports events and world record achievements, meeting prominent Ukrainians and unknown heroes, descending into a coal mine and soaring on the wings of "Mriya," and witnessing the struggle against ecological disasters, communist idols, and pandemics. These photos, sometimes painful and brutal, are part of the essential process of creating national identity. They have contributed to making Ukraine stronger.
We do not claim to provide a complete picture or encyclopedic objectivity. Photography is subjective, and that is part of its magic. Our experience has allowed us to gather disparate images and share a perspective on history through the eyes of Ukrainian documentarians, showcasing it in the context of world photography. For history is not just what happened; it is what remains in our memory. History without photography is merely words, and in the modern world, words are no longer trusted. Documentarians, if they do not create the history of our independence, at least help ensure that it is not distorted by those who wish to rewrite it.
The working title of the project was "100 Best Documentary Photographs of Independent Ukraine." However, telling the story of the country solely through the "best photos" turned out to be a utopian idea. The initial concept was for the book to consist of sections, each dedicated to a specific decade, but that would have resulted in uneven volumes. The period after 2014 occupies nearly half the book, not because those events seemed more important than others, but because they were more thoroughly documented.
Therefore, we decided to abandon that division and simply arranged the photographs in chronological order with brief historical notes. Nevertheless, readers will still notice three informal eras: the post-Soviet period (1991–2000), the stagnation period (2000–2012), and the breakthrough (2014–2022).
When we finished the book, we saw how interconnected the history of Ukrainian photography is with what is happening in the country. It seems that tragic events provoke documentary photography and other forms of art to evolve. Over the past eight years, a generation of young authors has emerged, thinking in terms of projects, which has elevated Ukrainian documentary photography to a global level.
I realized that I no longer perceive history as a list of dates, events, and names. Working on the book helped me see how certain historical events laid the groundwork for others and how pivotal moments are interconnected—not just in a narrative sense, but visually as well. We are now working on an English-language version of the album. — Mstislav Chernov
"Independent" encompasses the political, cultural, and sports events, tragedies, hopes, pride, and joys of Ukraine—not just documentary photographs, but a cultural heritage that showcases the best of Ukrainian documentary work, which has never been compiled under one cover.
"Independent" is a comprehensive study and preservation of modern Ukrainian photographic heritage that deserves to be introduced to the world. In addition to the Ukrainian version, an English-language edition is planned, printed to the highest standards, making it a perfect coffee table book for Ukrainian diplomats, cultural figures, and politicians, as well as being interesting for every Ukrainian.
"Independent" is a unique collection that combines high-art photographs from the most renowned contemporary Ukrainian documentarians with lesser-known images that have yet to reach a wide audience. Moreover, this publication draws attention, perhaps for the first time in recent years, to the exceptionally high level of professionalism among Ukrainian documentarians, who tirelessly continue to capture our history despite the risks and obstacles they face daily.
Until 1991, street photography was almost nonexistent. Political life was documented better, but even those images were sometimes lacking. Due to the absence of photographs, we could not include the monetary reform of 1996, when the new national currency, the hryvnia, was introduced. International sports competitions featuring Ukrainians were also not photographed. While such images exist in agencies and foreign photographers' collections, they are absent in domestic ones. At that time, Ukrainian photographers were surviving, while foreign ones only captured what interested them.
A significant watershed year is 2014, after which photographers began to cover various events in their unique ways. The book includes not only the works of well-known authors but also those of lesser-known ones. One of the images from the Maidan was even taken by a girl who was not connected to photography at all. — Mykhailo Palinchak
UAPP is an independent association of professional Ukrainian photographers, designed to protect their interests, support, develop and promote Ukrainian photography as an important element of national culture.
UAPP's activities span educational, social, research and cultural initiatives, as well as book publishing.
UAPP represents Ukrainian professional photography in the international photographic community and is an official member of the Federation of European Photographers (FEP) — an international organization representing more than 50,000 professional photographers in Europe and other countries around the world.
