FUTURESPECTIVE at Saatchi Gallery celebrates Ukrainian photography

A young man cradling a newborn baby, a girl with wildflowers threaded through her hair, teenage siblings wrapped in an embrace: these are not typical images from a country at war, but then neither is FUTURESPECTIVE, a typical exhibit. Opening at the Saatchi Gallery this week, FUTURESPECTIVE showcases the work of 34 young and emerging Ukrainian photographers who were discovered via an open call and selected by a jury that included photographer Carlijn Jacobs and Brett Lloyd, among others.

The aim of the exhibit is to introduce the country’s next generation of photographers on the international stage and, in the process, it presents a portrait of a country at war as seen by youth. The result is a diverse collection of work that spans documentary and art photography, still life, landscape, and collage, some of which were taken before the war began in 2022, and others after. No matter the context in which they were taken, the present circumstances give every image greater resonance. Gathered together on four of the gallery’s white walls, the pictures compel viewers to see how the questions that preoccupy all people, especially young people – what matters to me now? What might come in the future? – become even more significant when they are put at risk.

For many of the young photographers in the show, the opportunity to display their work forced them to confront these questions anew. ‘In the first months of the invasion, I felt a very strong apathy: creating art was no longer needed when it came to survival,’ says Vic Bakin.

‘I asked myself the same question again and again: what’s it for? Why create? And I couldn’t find any answer. I am talking about art, of course. I am not talking about photojournalism, reportage, and documentary photography, which became extremely important in the first months and continue to be important. We should not underestimate the work of Ukrainian (and foreign) photojournalists, who first showed the world Bucha and Mariupol and continue to show the world what happens here. Ukraine, like any other country at war, relies on this powerful medium.’

‘One could say [artistic photography] is not immediate and it’s not crucial enough,’ Bakin continues. ‘And I would agree; it’s a different kind of approach. But still, if you can touch the heart of the audience, it is a legitimate way to do your work. For me, it works: you talk about the same thing, but with different words or in a different language. But still, you tell the story. No matter what, the function is still the same.’

Photographer Mykola Maychyk echoes a similar sentiment, noting that the war has changed the personal and public significance of his work.

‘Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, my vision and approach to creativity have been turned upside down,’ Maychyk says. ‘My photography has gained a new sense of sensitivity and compassion. It has become a powerful tool for sharing Ukrainian culture (in my case) and for informing the world about the war in Ukraine – a role also seen in the work of Ukrainian military photographers and documentarians.’

Indeed, FUTURESPECTIVE demonstrates just how powerful a tool photography can be, offering viewers intimate insight into a country at war, and the toll such an experience takes on the ones who are forced to go through it. For artists like Maychyk, that is what makes this exhibition so important.

‘Sadly, it took such turbulent times for many of us to realise how vital it is to present Ukrainian art to the world,’ he says. ‘This act serves two inseparable purposes – to inform the world about the war, and to highlight Ukrainian artists whose work is nationally and internationally competitive.’

‘I hope visitors leave with sincere, positive and at times, compassionate feelings. The variety of styles and approaches is truly remarkable, and these works are the kind you want to look at closely, to really feel. I believe that’s exactly what will happen.’