Youth, Beauty and Air Raids
Kyiv-based artist Vic Bakin’s book “Epitome” merges archival photographs with new images from war-torn Ukraine exploring themes of fragility, masculinity, war and uncertainty.
Born and raised in Mariupol, Donetsk region, the photographer began capturing Ukrainian youth, queer communities and subcultures years ago. The same people he once photographed now face an uncertain future, some enlisted to fight. His images reflect this transition, blending youthful moments with the harsh reality of conflict.
As he printed his photographs in the darkroom during air raids, running out of chemicals, Vic Bakin's process itself became an act of resistance, with chemical imperfections symbolizing the bruised land. “The process of making the palm-sized prints became, for me, a meditation, an urge to find personal balance, and a contemplative search for meaning in a wartime reality.”
