The magic of Polissia. Slowing down time, by Andrii Kotliarchuk

On the occasion of the third anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, an exhibition of photographs by Ukrainian photographer and filmmaker Andrii Kotliarchuk, taken in Polissia, opens in the central hall of the museum. 

Polissia is the most mysterious region of northern Ukraine, a land of relict forests, ancient beliefs and sacred architecture. It is a unique world where the past is intertwined with the present and traditions remain alive. 

Andrii Kotliarchuk has been travelling around Polissia with an analogue camera for over a decade, exploring its mystical atmosphere. He captures the archaic traditions of the Polissia people, their way of life and the nature that has preserved its pristine beauty. The author uses large-format black and white film and an old nineteenth-century lens, which adds a special depth to his work.