Snapshot from Ukraine: Mark Neville photographing the country and its people

After photographing Ukraine and its people for years, Mark Neville moved from London to Kyiv in 2020. When war broke out at the end of February, he initially decided to stay before seeking refuge in neighboring Poland. France 24’s Florence Felmeneau told of documenting the chaos of leaving his adopted country.

About six years ago, Mark began working on a collection of portraits of Ukrainians called “Stop Tanks with Books,” and he hopes that people who look at his book will form some kind of emotional connection and see a version of themselves in these photos.

It also tells us that art – whether it’s a poem, a pop song, or a picture book – has more power to change public opinion than the words of diplomats and politicians.