Beauty in darkness: a tribute to a fallen Ukrainian photographer

A poignant exhibition featuring photographs taken by a fallen Ukrainian soldier will open at Portsmouth’s Central Library in Guildhall from Monday, 24 February.

Titled Souls and Bodies: Photographs by a Fallen Ukrainian Hero, the exhibition will run from 24 to 27 February 2025 and showcase striking images captured by Volodymyr Rakov, a 30-year-old soldier killed in battle.

The exhibition is being hosted by Rakov’s friend, Olya Andrushko, a fellow Ukrainian national who now lives in Portsmouth, in collaboration with Hotwalls Studios.

Olya approached Portsmouth City Council about displaying her friend’s work, which provides a glimpse into life on the frontline, with a particular focus on soldiers and animals caught in Vladimir Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Olya said: "This exhibition is not about death, it is about life. Even in the darkest times, my friend found beauty.

"He tried to save every animal he encountered, some of them are now safe because of him. He had the most beautiful and creative heart, and I am grateful he kept a place in it for me."

According to Olya, Volodymyr was a well-known dancer in Kyiv before he volunteered for the Ukrainian army in 2013, shortly before Russia’s invasion of Crimea, where he was born. “He was a strong man, a dancer, a photographer, a great warrior,” she added.

The exhibition’s opening on 24 February coincides with the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a major escalation of the conflict.

Portsmouth City Council leader Cllr Steve Pitt said: "I hope people will come and see this fascinating exhibition of photographs at Central Library, which shine a light on life on the frontline of the bloody war in Ukraine which is still going on."

To mark the anniversary, a public flag-raising ceremony will be held at 11am outside the Civic Offices in Guildhall Square, led by the Lord Mayor. Residents are invited to attend the event in solidarity with Ukraine.