Dedicated to Maks Levin: photo exhibition The War Is Not Over Yet presented in Boyarka
The War Is Not Over Yet photo exhibition has opened in Taras Shevchenko Park in Boyarka. The organizers brought it to the home city of the deceased photojournalist Maks Levin on his birthday, July 7.
Levin's relatives, friends, and colleagues were present at the opening ceremony: his mother Valentyna Levina; Dmytro Zhiginas – a friend of Maks, public activist, head of VeloBoyarka NGO; Ivan Lyubysh-Kirdei – Reuters cameraman and photographer; Yan Dobronosov – "Telegraph" photo correspondent; Stas Yurchenko – "Graty" photographer and photo editor.
Valentyna Levina, Maks Levin's mother:
"I have been raising Maksym on my own since he was 10. He was my backbone, my support. When I cried, he always used to say: 'Mom, don't cry, your eyes change color.' Now I cry all the time. His children are angels, he was a super dad. They also cannot bear this tragedy."
He had been filming the war for eight years, from its very beginning; covered the Revolution of Dignity, was on the Maidan in the days of the fiercest hostilities. In August 2014, together with his colleagues Markiyan Lyseiko, Ivan Lyubysh-Kirdei, and Gosha Tykhy, they miraculously escaped from the Ilovaisk encirclement. After that, Afterilovaisk documentary project about the military and civilians who had gone through this tragedy was created. Maks Levin had worked for LB.ua, Hromadske, Reuters, BBC, Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, TIME, and Radio Liberty.
After February 24, 2022, Maks had to film the war in his home, in Kyiv region. On March 13, he was in contact for the last time. On April 1, his body was found in Huta Mezhyhirska village: the russians killed the journalist with two shots. According to RSF's own investigation, Maks Levin could have been executed by the russian military. Maks Levin would have turned 41 on July 7, 2022.
Yan Dobronosov, "Telegraph" photo correspondent:
"Me and Maks moved in parallel courses: when Maks was in Ilovaisk, I was in Lysychansk, and we also filmed Maidan near each other... Maks went through a lot. The beatings on the Maidan, Ilovaisk, and then Moshchun – the final story. I know for a fact that Maks has inspired many people to start filming. That is, it's not even the 'historical' shots that are important, but the fact that Maks has brought with him many photographers who are still working today. This is an example for us."
Levin was posthumously awarded Order "For Courage" of the III degree and a Special Prize of the Heorhiy Gongadze Award for outstanding contribution to the development of Ukrainian photography, dedication to the profession, and bravery.
Stas Yurchenko, "Graty" photographer and photo editor:
"The war is taking away our best. For me, Maks is the first severe loss among my close ones and the people I know. Photos of other people dear to me have already appeared at this exhibition since then. But the way it was with Maks when he disappeared, how we waited and hoped, and how it all became known later – this I will never forget. It was very difficult. But Maks must be remembered all the same. His smile, his laugh... Maks was such a positive person, and he ignited everyone around him with this positivity."
Maks Levin was one of the first journalists to die at the hands of the russians. There are currently 33 of them:
- 8 died in the course of their work;
- 14 died while defending Ukraine in the ranks of the UAF;
- 11 were killed by russian shelling or torture.
At least 14 journalists have been injured.
At least 15 are missing, among them UNIAN correspondent Dmytro Khylyuk, who was captured in Kyiv region.
The exhibition The War Is Not Over Yet is a show of solidarity with Ukrainian media workers – the men and women who fight for the truth, risking their own lives. The project aims to tell the story of those who make the world aware of russia's war against Ukraine – the journalists who died, were wounded, have come under fire, were captured or persecuted since the start of the full-scale invasion.
You can see the photo exhibition in Boyarka until July 28.
The event is held with the support of: Ukrainian PEN, Institute of Mass Information, ZMINA Human Rights Center, National Museum of the Revolution of Dignity, Lviv Media Forum, Heorhiy Gongadze Award.
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