The gallery proudly showcased our represented artist Danila Tkachenko’s video works last year, highlighting his transition from a purely artistic practice to that of an activist. Since relocating, Tkachenko has been actively creating new works, curating projects, and even establishing a non-profit organization. We are excited to open 2025 with an exhibition of his recent photographic works. Through his ongoing exploration of core artistic themes in series like Crimea (2024) and 9.7 SQM (2023), we are thrilled to also introduce his latest series, Fragments (2023), where he examines the role of social culture in shaping our perception of images.

In 2014, Russian troops without identifying marks invaded Ukrainian territory, seized Crimea, and subjected its indigenous population to repression. This act marked the beginning of one of the largest military conflicts in modern history. During this time, Tkachenko found himself in occupied Crimea on assignment for a German newspaper. Seizing a rare opportunity, he negotiated with a Russian officer to photograph a military exercise. These events led to the creation of his Crimea series (2024). Utilizing a quadcopter, Tkachenko captured panoramic shots of soldiers conducting deployment drills in the open terrain near Sivash salt lake.

Authoritarian regimes, in their pursuit of dominance, seek to expand control geographically and socially, often at the expense of individual identity and distinctiveness. Aesthetics, too, become tools of power: the landscape transforms into a trophy, stripped of its prior identity and reimagined as a symbol of the regime’s dominance. The soldiers, like the landscape, lose individuality and become instruments serving a singular purpose. Tkachenko’s photographs articulate this process, illustrating how the suppression of identity becomes both a physical and symbolic act of subjugation.

In 9.7 SQM (2023), Tkachenko presents a grid of 30 photographs depicting abandoned apartments in post-Soviet cities, featuring their typical architecture. This project, developed over several years, reflects the dislocation of those forced to leave their homes in search of better opportunities, freedom, or safety. Tkachenko himself became an immigrant due to political persecution in Russia. His personal story parallels those of countless residents across post-Soviet regions who have been displaced by conflict, political oppression, or war, making the work a poignant exploration of belonging and exile.

The final series in the exhibition, Fragments (2023), marks a departure from the previous works. Created in Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, it explores how technological and scientific advancements have transformed our perception of visual content. Tkachenko presents a series of installations composed of 2.5 cm thick foam-core fragments printed with reproductions of pre-digital period paintings. Historically, paintings served as portals to reality and the world, but their original role has diminished with the rise of new reproduction methods.

In today’s age of overwhelming visual content, our attention has become increasingly fragmented. Instead of comprehending the whole, our gaze is reduced to fleeting encounters with disjointed pieces. Fragments reflects this phenomenon, highlighting how our modern interaction with images often fails to capture the complete narrative, leaving us with only isolated impressions.