“Danila Tkachenko: Recent works” officially opened last Saturday! Thank you all for joining us!

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.

The exhibition will run until March 29, 2025. For those who haven’t had the chance to visit yet, we look forward to seeing you at the gallery soon!

 Danila Tkachenko: Recent works  
Time｜2025.02.22 – 2025.03.29
Artist｜Danila Tkachenko
Venue｜Ground Floor at UP Gallery