At the end of February 2022 two young Brand Managers from Kyiv - Dmytro Zubkov and Artem Skorokhodko, found themselves sheltering from Russian bombs in the basement of their newly opened pizzeria. Surrounded by strangers, also looking for refuge, two dogs and some friends, they decided to turn their restaurant into a charity kitchen for those in need. Their premises quickly turned into a full-blown volunteer centre and the reach of their help has spread to the nearby villages.
Having befriended local children from recently liberated villages, the idea for a photo project, later called Behind Blue Eyes, came naturally - alongside toys and colouring books local kids were offered disposable cameras, which they were free to use, as they please, to capture their everyday lives and show the rest of the world what growing up during wartime is like - the portraits of friends and pictures of flowers and pets comfortably coexist with images of destroyed houses, burnt military equipment and rocket shells. Each of the shots, at times illuminated or defocused, tells a story. Artem explains:
“It seems that when you look at these photos, you understand that children perceive everything differently. There is no tragedy there, they cope with it. It forces me to rethink my vision and attitude toward some things. It is what I would exactly like to transmit.”
This exhibition includes the works by nine children from Lukashivka, a village near the city of Chernihiv, which survived World War II, but was all but destroyed in 2022 as a result of Russian occupation. The photos present children’s untouched candid accounts of life after liberation.
Where possible we will update our listings to notify of cancelled, postponed and rescheduled events, however we STRONGLY ADVISE that you check with the venue/organiser in the first instance for updates.
All information (whether in text or photographs) is supplied in good faith but should not be relied upon as being a statement of representation or fact.GOT AN EVENT TO SHARE? It's free to post your events on What's On Edinburgh, click here to find out more!
Want to be the first to hear about what's happening in Edinburgh? Follow us on Facebook and join the What's On Scotland Group!
Following the incredible success of last year’s blockbuster exchange with the National Gallery of Ireland, Scotland’s own much-loved Turners are back in Edinburgh for 2026!
READ MORE
Join our British Sign Language tour of the Drawing the Italian Renaissance exhibition at The King's Gallery, Edinburgh.
READ MORE
The Biba Story explores how fashion phenomenon Biba blossomed to become the world’s first lifestyle label, sparking a revolution in how people shopped.
READ MORE
The annual GCCF Championship Cat Show will be held on Saturday 14th February at West Lothian College Sports Hall, Livingston. It's a purr-fect day out for cat lovers everywhere!
READ MORE
From the organisers of Truckfest comes Classic Trucks & Tractors, a brand-new show on 28th Feb & 1st March 2026 at the Royal Highland Centre.
READ MORE
The Scottish Motorcycle Show returns to the Royal Highland Centre on March 7th & 8th with all the latest models, major manufacturers, and breath-taking live action!
READ MORE
The 100 Best Australian Wines Festival with Matthew Jukes is back at The Edinburgh Academy on Saturday 21st March, following its great success last year!
READ MORE
The Scottish Tattoo Convention returns to the O2 Academy Edinburgh in March 2026, bigger and better than ever!
READ MORE