Ukraine 2022 by Avantika Meattle-Local city church, Kiev 27.12.21
Avantika visited Ukraine at a very interesting time! It was freezing cold, COVID was looking ominous in most parts of the world and a Russian army was already at the border threatening an invasion. Never knew any friend who traveled there, no one recommended it and there was just one reason for going – it felt like she should. Ukraine was calling! And there she landed. The country with a flag that is about its sunflowers on the ground and a blue sky above.
Turned out to be a lovely trip to Kyiv & Lviv – learnt much about a country with a rich history of its own. A vibrant country with historical monuments, friendly people, variety of food, most interesting cocktail bars and restaurants. A great blend of Nordic, European, Russian and Ottoman history & cultures – Kyiv was quite a discovery. A city which many invaded in the past and grew to be an amalgamation of diversity of cultures. A welcoming city, warm despite the cold. The photographs are a glimpse of the vibrant Ukraine, as captured by Avantika during her short trip there. Heartbreakingly, the city may not be the same again.
The buildings she captured in her photographs are beautiful, have stood for a long time and witnessed a rich culture built around them – they represented memories of generations of Ukrainians. These cities bustled with life and a deep-rooted culture, and suddenly they are being ravaged and devastated. The pictures were captured purely out of love for travel and were taken just a month time when the country celebrated the new year with joy and happiness, only to see life getting shattered in a brutal manner. The courage of the Ukrainian people, who welcome all with open arms, is an inspiration for the world today. Things may never be the same again, but it was a blessing to visit the country with all its richness just a few weeks back!
The photographs will also be up for viewing and sale on her website.
Online Viewing : https://avantikameattle.com/
Date 28-03-2022