Shortly after the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine began in February 2022, Berlin-based photo artist Mila Teshaieva travelled to her home city of Kiev. She wanted to witness and capture this dramatic historical moment for her country and Europe: From the first days of the war, when Russian troops tried to encircle Kiev and people fled in panic, to the last days of April, when the crushing consequences of war crimes were discovered in the region around the capital Kiev.
Image above: March 2022 © Mila Teshaieva
Mila Teshaieva’s diary was first published on the internet platform dekoder.org. It contains personal records of the first months of the war in pictures and text and documents life during the war, which is marked by destruction as well as unity and resistance.
Hermann Parzinger, President of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation: “Mila Teshaieva’s photo diary conveys an impression of everyday war life that is extraordinarily close in its vivid imagery. I am pleased that we were able to realise this important exhibition in such a short time. I would like to express my sincere thanks to all those involved, first and foremost to the incredibly committed artist, but also to the Kuratorium Preußischer Kulturbesitz for its generous support.”
Elisabeth Tietmeyer, Director of the Museum Europäischer Kulturen: “Mila Teshaieva combines thorough scientific analysis with a very special aesthetic. She has long been associated with our museum, whose research focuses, among other things, on changes in everyday life in Europe. So when we heard about her diary project, it was immediately clear to us that we had to make an exhibition out of it.”
Born in Kiev in 1974 and raised there, Mila Teshaieva has also lived in Berlin since 2010. Teshaieva uses photography, video and text in long-term projects to describe the tension between individual and collective identity. Her works are exhibited in museums worldwide and are represented in some public collections. In 2018/2019, the MIT Museum Boston presented the comprehensive show of works “IMAGINED COMMUNITY”. She has been a member of the Ostkreuz agency since 2016.
The exhibition of the Museum of European Cultures is supported by the Kuratorium Preußischer Kulturbesitz.
WHEN?
Exhibition dates: Friday, 24 June 2022 – Sunday, 15 January 2023
Opening hours: Tue – Fri 10 am – 5 pm, Sat + Sun 11 am – 6 pm
WHERE?
Museum Europäischer Kulturen
Arnimallee 25
14195 Berlin-Dahlem
