Why-Why-Why
Yelena Yemchuk’s latest book is a journey in three chapters, starting from the end.
The title “УYY” is game of words between the slavic term for Ukraine and the name of the Kyiv-born artist. The flow of images starts in medias res and rewinds time as it progresses. Photographs shot by the artist, archival images, drawings and print proof layouts follow each other, repeat and overlap in a surprising sequence that one’s intuition can grasp but words struggle to make sense of.
A strong feminine seductive power permeates a refined game of references swinging between innocence and allure, religious symbolism, surreal architecture and militarism. “The book isn’t about war, but rather aims at being a story in pictures of what destruction cannot simply erase. And yet, war encroaches on both territories and consciences.”, writes publisher Luca Reffo at the end of the book.
“УYY” is published by Départ Pour l’Image and available at the price of 57 Euro.
