Prosto korotche

After a long night {of post-traumatic disorder symptoms}, under the sky, full of stars. I understood the hidden message of that house. Filled with unfinished violins. Waiting.

I promised myself in the past that I would never look at random family albums again. I would get immediately involved in a given story. Fedir’s visual diary was an exception (acception).
A partisan at the age of 2, UPA veteran nowadays. His poorly stabilized photographs, developed in a hurry, destined to disappear.
What were those portraits used for?
I wondered.

Fedir explains: “They are staged auto portraits captured by my only son.”
”Fedir, why are you lying on the ground, rolled over by trees? It looks like you are dead in the forest.”
”Fedir, why are so many of them left in your family album?”
”Well, they prove to my lover that I rest in peace.”
"How many did you send?”
”Only 3.”

UPA is Ukrainian Insurgent Army partisan formation founded by the Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists on October 14, 1942. During World War II, it was engaged in guerrilla warfare against the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany and both the Polish Underground State and Communist Poland.The UPA was formally disbanded in early September 1949. However, some of its units continued operations until 1956.

Written by Lucia Nimcova. 13.3. 2024, Brussels. Photo: Personal archive of Fedir Kopchuk. Find out more.