Beyond the Silence: An Exhibition in Lviv, Ukraine
Opening March 21, the exhibition addresses global issues of territory, kidnapping, censorship and more, from different photographic perspectives
Beyond the Silence, a collaborative exhibition from Magnum Photos in partnership with Odesa Photo Days Festival, opens on March 21, 2025 at the Jam Factory Art Center in Lviv, Ukraine.
After the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine, Magnum, with the support of the Open Society Foundations, launched “Beyond the Silence” to explore the connections between Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Nigeria and Myanmar. By creating a dialogue between international photographers, the exhibition weaves parallel stories and reflections on socio-political conflicts throughout these countries.
“With this project and its partners, we aim to keep the dialogue on current global crises alive through photography. Connecting the geography of violence through the visual witnesses and testimonies of those who live with its consequences is the first step towards a global awareness of our own responsibilities in the present and the future,” says Giulietta Palumbo, Global Editorial Director of Magnum Photos.
Addressing themes such as “Territory,” “Fight and/or Adaptation,” “Kidnapping” and “Censorship,” 12 photographers — eight winners of an open call alongside four Magnum photographers — will showcase the global connections between these critical issues from a variety of visual narratives and perspectives. Featuring printed images, videos and installations, the exhibition offers a cross-sectional mosaic of these issues in different cultural contexts, and the tireless work towards finding humane solutions.
“In every corner of the globe, conflicts, both decades-old and new, serve as a vivid reminder not only of our interconnectedness as nations, but also of the shared experiences in communities around the world. Occupation and illegal annexation, the impact of colonialism and censorship, individual and collective decisions to fight or adapt — these are just some of the questions that Beyond the Silence invites artists to answer from their own perspective,” says Kateryna Radchenko, curator of the project.
Since its launch in November 2024, the exhibition has been presented in various formats in Kazakhstan (Almaty), Mexico (Oaxaca and Mexico City) and Cambodia (Angkor). An opening in Nigeria (Lagos) is also planned for later this year.
“We are living in unprecedented times. The current socio-political situation makes us think about the vulnerability and fragility of civilization and the principles of the democratic world. The exhibition connects Ukraine with similar stories on other continents and strengthens our struggle by raising important questions about the protection of human rights,and upholding justice and dignity in different countries,” says Bozhena Pelenska, Program and Executive Director of Jam Factory Art Center.
At Jam Factory Art Center, the entirety of the project is being presented, featuring 12 artists, including the open-call winners from five different countries and four Magnum photographers.
- Sasha Kurmaz (Ukraine) – Daniel Orlando Lara Garcia (Mexico) – Rafał Milach (Poland, Magnum Photos),
- Ira Lupu (Ukraine) – Fawaz Oyediji (Nigeria) – Newsha Tavakolian (Iran, Magnum Photos),
- Daria Svertilova (Ukraine) – Sai ▇▇▇ (Myanmar) – Antoine d’Agata (France, Magnum Photos)
- Mykhaylo Palinchak (Ukraine) – Yadykar Ibraimov (Kazakhstan) – Thomas Dworzak (Germany, Magnum Photos)
Beyond the Silence is a collaborative project organized by Magnum Photos in partnership with Odesa Photo Days Festival (Ukraine), Centro de las Artes San Agustín (Mexico), Africa Artists’ Foundation (Nigeria), Vlast (Kazakhstan) and the Angkor Photo Festival & Workshops (Cambodia), with the support of Open Society Foundations and the Ukrainian Institute.
Project curator — Kateryna Radchenko, founder of Odesa Photo Days. Director — Giulietta Palumbo, Global Editorial Director at Magnum Photos.
