THE INFORMATION FRONT:
Ukrainian Photographers Witness War in UkraineThe Information Front is a ‘DIY’ publishing collective showcasing photographs of the war covered by those photographers who are most vulnerable: Ukrainian photographers themselves. It functions as a platform to support their important work and, through circulation, to sustain visibility of the war.
Volume 1, published in newspaper format, documented the first two months of the Russia’s invasion. The Information Front takes a broader view for Volume 2, looking at Ukraine’s fight for freedom and democracy by revealing photography’s crucial role in the country’s quest for freedom and identity since the 1970s to the present day. The Information Front guest edited a twenty-page supplement for The Financial Times Magazine (UK) which forms Volume 2.5. Volume 3 is our most ambitious publication yet, a photobook featuring fifteen photographers from different generations who have now experienced a decade of war. All Volumes of The Information Front act as symbols and instruments of resistance aginst war and colonial politics.
The pictures in all volumes reveal a diverse range of perspectives, styles and disciplines. Work by early-career artists reflecting on the toll of war on their country appears alongside that of seasoned photojournalists operating in the field.
The Information Front believes that photography plays a crucial role in learning about the violence inflicted in Ukraine by Russia’s war of aggression, while also amplifying the power of photography to help shape society.
All profit from the sales of The Information Front goes to support the necessary work of independent media in Ukraine by directly funding the photographers themselves.
Funds Raised
The Information Front helped support an open call led by Odesa Photo Days. We received 176 applications from photographers across different regions of Ukraine. Applicants shared with us important and tragic stories about how the war has affected their personal and professional lives. It was extremely difficult to choose who would receive support, as we evaluated not the quality of the photos, but the complexity of the applicant’s life situation, based on needs described in the application.
The applications were selected by the Odesa Photo Days Festival team and the founders of The Information Front.
The program supported 16 photographers from Ukraine. The program funds consists of a grant from the French foundation The Foundation of France, sales from the of The Information Front and charitable contributions collected during the dynamic exhibition of Ukrainian photographers Ukraine Now in the windows of the gallery of the creative agency Wieden+Kennedy London.
About The Information Front
The Information Front is organized by: Kateryna Radchenko, a Ukrainian photography curator and founder of Odesa Photo Days; Donald Weber, a Canadian photographer who worked in Ukraine from 2002 and still has deep ties to the country; and Christopher Nunn, a British photographer who has been working in the Donbas for more than ten years; together, they have decades of experience and knowledge working in this region. The designer of Volumes I and II is Sybrien Kuiper (–SYB–), a world-renowned Dutch book designer. Lithography by Sebastiaan Hanekroot, Colour & Books.
Distribution: Village Books, (UK) and Schilt Publishing (EU)
Instagram: @theinformationfront
The Information Front was made possible with the support of:
Free Press Unlimited through its “Media Lifeline Ukraine” and “Reporters Respond” initiatives
Pictoright
Newspaper Club
Noorderlicht
Financial Times Magazine
Aalto University, Dept. of Art and Media through the KONE Fundation
Hangar Photo Art Center
The Information Front is always looking for sponsors.
Contact
For questions about our work, or to invite us to for lectures and book presentations, please contact:
Donald Weber
theinformationfront@gmail.com or info@donaldweber.com