This is Igor Chekachkov, sharing my new book 100 Days of War, launching on April 2 at @thephotographersgallery .
The book began as a personal diary. When russia invaded Ukraine, I left Kharkiv, the city I grew up in, and started recording what was happening around me through notes and photographs.
What emerged is a story about losing home and trying to rebuild a sense of it elsewhere, shaped by my own experience and those of other displaced Ukrainians. At the same time, the work reflects on photography itself, questioning its ability to represent conflict and the distance often created by the industry around it.
100 Days of War moves between document and memory, between what can be shown and what remains impossible to capture.
Published by @andrefrere_editions and @falllinepress , designed by incredible @kakkalakkinn .
Join me for the launch this Thursday, April 2 at The Photographers’ Gallery at 6:30 pm.
Hi, this is @chekachkov , a Ukrainian photographer based between London and Paris. Here I will share my new books, starting with a project that was meant to be published in 2022 but was postponed due to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
This is a story about corruption and populism in Kharkiv, taking the form of a leporello book built from the enormous queue at the funeral of Hennadiy Kernes, the mayor of the city.
Kharkiv was long shaped by his rule, a system built on intimidation and populism, where corruption became part of city's DNA. He protected illegal businesses, confiscated property, and outlived three Ukrainian presidents.
When he died of COVID, I went to photograph his funeral. What struck me was the queue of people waiting to pay their respects, which I documented as a single continuous line.
“Mayor’s Funeral” is published by @moksop_museum and designed by incredible @tapir_book_design . You can order it on the publisher’s website or find it at @tpgbookshop .
Now, my very personal reflection on the brutal russian invasion of Ukraine is on the streets of London. Thanks to @thephotographersgallery for selecting me for New Talent 2023 and helping to spread the word about what Ukrainians are going through #ThePhotographersGallery #TNT23 @buildhollywood
In tomorrow’s episode, dive into the daily reality of war with Igor, a Ukrainian photographer. His project, 100 Days of War, captures life amid chaos, focusing on resilience over destruction.
Join us to explore how art reveals the impact of war on normal people, beyond the “glorified” pictures of bombs and destructions.
#WarThroughArt #ukraine #slavaukraini #russianwarinukraine
У книзі «100 Days of War» фотограф Ігор Чекачков відмовився від традиційної воєнної репортажної фотографії. Він зосередився на рефлексії та інтимності, щоб передати атмосферу перших місяців повномасштабного російського вторгнення в Україну.
Ігор Чекачков @chekachkov розповів, як власний досвід евакуації з Харкова трансформувався до роздумів про втрату дому, ідентичність і переміщення, чому проєкт порушує питання обмеженості фотографії як інструменту документування та здатності впливати на конфлікти, а також про найтепліші й найболючіші для нього фотографії у книзі.
rainianphotographers.com/uni-story/shchodennik-vtorgnennya-fotokniga-100-days-of-war-igorya-chekachkova
I’m excited to be part of Soft Eyes, a new photography lecture series at Reference Point curated by @______henri , which aims to open dialogue beyond institutional frameworks.
This first edition explores photography’s relationship with home, exile, and belonging. I’ll be presenting my work 100 Days of War, alongside presentations by @kalpeshlathigra , and @oliviarthur .
Would love to see you there.
Doors 7pm
Tickets in bio
This is @chekachkov , and I’m continuing to share my book 100 Days of War here.
The project is now expanding into different forms. It was recently reimagined as an exhibition at @leneuf_sinibaldi_paris , with art direction by Ilaria Crosta and support from @reflexions2.0 .
Thanks to @emma_bowkett , excerpts from the book were published in the @ft_weekend . It was also launched at @thephotographersgallery (and you can find it now there at the bookshop), with more events to come.
Upcoming events include Palermo on April 9, London on May 5, and Copenhagen on May 10.
I hope to see some of you there!
FUJIKINA CPH x Igor Chekachkov @chekachkov
🗓10 MAY
⏰13:30
📍@thelabcph
𝗜𝗴𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗸𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗸𝗼𝘃 – 𝗗𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀
Ukrainian photographer now based in London, whose work explores the boundaries between public and private life, digital error, and the idea of home. He began as a photojournalist in 2008 and has since developed an experimental art practice, with projects published and exhibited internationally.
🎟️ Tickets at our bio link 🔗
Rendez-vous demain jeudi à 19h pour le vernissage de « 100 Days of War » de @chekachkov à la Galerie @leneuf_sinibaldi_paris , 9 rue Henner Paris 75009, le livre est disponible en prévente sur notre site @andrefrere_editions !
Exposition jusqu’au 17 avril 2026
Join us tomorrow, Thursday, at 7 p.m. for the opening of @chekachkov 's “100 Days of War” at Galerie @leneuf_sinibaldi_paris , 9 rue Henner, Paris 75009. The book is available for pre-order on our website! @andrefrere_editions
Exhibition through April 17, 2026
"Lorsque la Russie a envahi l’Ukraine en février 2022, j’ai été contraint de quitter ma ville natale de Kharkiv et de me rendre dans l’ouest du pays. Conscient que la guerre serait fortement documentée par un grand nombre de photographes et médias, j’ai décidé de chercher de nouvelles formes pour dépeindre les conséquences de cette invasion, c’est comme cela qu’est né le projet 100 Days of War".
"When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, I was forced to leave my hometown, Kharkiv, and go to the west of the country. Aware that the war is well documented by many photographers and media outlets, I decided to seek out new forms through which to depict the aftermath of the invasion. That is how the “100 Days of War” project came about".
#andrefrereditions #andrefrereeditions #igorchekachkov #leneufgallery #masmatbaa #kakkalakki #pollendiffusion #regionsud #ukrainewar #photobook #livrephoto #photobooklovers #livreaddict
100 days of working on the images and texts and years of shaping the final form of the book can now be seen in the exhibition at @leneuf_sinibaldi_paris .
Join us next Thursday for the vernissage and the launch of the book 100 Days of War, published with @andrefrere_editions and @falllinepress .
See you there!
Yesterday, the UK Mission to the European Union, together with the Mission of Ukraine to the European Union, hosted Daily Lives of the Displaced, a photography exhibition by London‑based, multi award‑winning Ukrainian photographer and Chevening scholar Igor Chekachkov, at the British Residence in Brussels.
The exhibition brought together a powerful body of work capturing the human cost of war, reflecting on resilience, courage and the fragile meaning of home during ongoing conflict.
The evening opened with a panel discussion on the role of art in times of conflict, featuring Igor Chekachkov, Katya Taylor, Advisor to the Ukrainian Minister of Culture, and Ian Thomas, Head of Insights and Strategy at the British Council, moderated by Sofiia Shevchuk , Ukrainian researcher and host of VONA talks. The discussion emphasised the importance of supporting Ukrainian culture in the face of Russia’s aggression, as well as exploring the role of culture building community resilience in peacebuilding and reconstruction.
A closing reception followed, allowing guests to engage directly with the exhibition and reflect on the stories behind the images.
📷 The photographs featured below form part of Daily Lives of the Displaced.
🔗 Learn more about Igor’s work: /
