Sir Stephen Fry, Sharon Stone, Prince Harry, and Nobel Peace Prize winner Oleksandra Matviichuk are among the public figures taking on guest curator roles for “Postcode Ukraine: Diary of a Volunteer,” a fundraising exhibition of photographs by British, Kyiv-based artist Mark Neville.
The show is slated to open on September 11 at Westwood Contemporary in Los Angeles and documents everyday life in Ukraine during Russia’s full-scale invasion. Neville’s photographs focus on volunteers, families, and communities living through the war.
Each guest curator has selected a photo from the exhibition and written a short reflection on why it resonated with them. The group also includes actress Alyssa Milano, Ukrainian writer Andrey Kurkov, author Kateryna Babkina, and Wende Museum founder Justin Jampol.
Matviichuk, who leads Ukraine’s Center for Civil Liberties, which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022, said her selection draws attention to the people behind the statistics of war. “War turns people into numbers, but behind every number is a name, a face and a life that matters,” she said in a statement. “Neville’s photographs restore this human dimension, showing ordinary Ukrainians who, in extraordinary circumstances, continue to help others, protect their communities and defend human dignity.”
Hollywood actress Stone said the project also highlights the role of creative expression during periods of crisis. “It’s an honor and a privilege to hold space for those whose need to speak is so dire, particularly in a time when the need to listen is at its most crucial,” she said.
Neville, who is also a co-founder of Postcode Ukraine, a Kyiv-based charity supporting communities affected by the war, has worked in the country since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“Ukrainians’ lives are often defined by conflict, but these photos tell a more nuanced story: one of strength, endurance and hope,” he said. He added that the project seeks to document “what people refuse to surrender: family, friendship, creativity, joy, and a sense of normal life.”
Proceeds from “Postcode Ukraine: Diary of a Volunteer” will benefit the charity’s grassroots humanitarian work. Since 2022, the organization says it has funded more than $500,000 in local aid projects, including food, water, generators, and emergency assistance for communities affected by the conflict.
Milano, another guest curator, said the exhibition aims to keep attention on the civilian experience of the conflict. “Nearly five years in, it is easy to lose sight of the resilience it takes to keep living through it,” she said.
The exhibition is presented at Westwood Contemporary in collaboration with The Wende Museum, a Los Angeles institution focused on preserving and interpreting Cold War history and its continuing relevance. Jampol said Neville’s photographs offer a record of the war while it is still unfolding.
“Museums often help us understand history after the fact,” Jampol said. “Neville’s photographs ask us to confront it while it is still unfolding.”
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