‘United for Ukraine’ photography exhibition featuring images of war from Ukraine at Hamilton City Hall

HAMILTON, ON – Mayor Fred Eisenberger, joined by the Cotton Factory's Robert Zeidler and members of the Ukrainian, Latvian, Polish, Estonian and Lithuanian communities, together launched a photo exhibit called United for Ukraine: Images of War 2014-2022. 

This deeply moving and harrowing exhibit, located on the second-floor lobby of City Hall, is made up of over 30 images captured by 13 Ukrainian and Estonian photographers. It was curated by Kateryna Radchenko from Ukraine and Estonia's Okapi Gallery.

"This exhibit further illustrates for our community the reality of the devastation ordinary Ukrainians are facing, and why we must do all that we can to assist newcomers to our community and those who remain in Ukraine,” says Eisenberger. “We deeply regret the circumstances that make an exhibit like this necessary; however, we can all view the images and further understand the magnitude of this tragedy.

"We know that unity and democracy are fragile and require effort from everyone in society to protect it, both at home and abroad.”

The official opening on June 14 was marked by the singing of the Canadian and Ukrainian national anthems by Hamilton's Konstantyn Sheweli and it was the first public event to be held inside City Hall in over two years due to the pandemic. 

"Many of us thought our grandparent's generation's struggles through unprovoked war and large-scale invasion in Europe was going to be left for the history books and not repeated,” says Zeidler. “I thank all Hamiltonians who will come out to view this exhibit and contemplate the people of Ukraine and show their support."

"War photography is important documentation and we thank all the photographers for capturing these images at enormous personal risk so that we can better comprehend the destruction this Russian incursion has caused," Eisenberger says. 

United for Ukraine: Images of War 2014-2022 photography exhibit is open to the public to view on the second floor lobby of City Hall during building operating hours and will run until June 28, 2022.    

Quick Facts

• United for Ukraine: Images of War 2014-2022 Hamilton City Hall exhibit follows the showing at the Toronto City Hall's Rotunda from May 7, to May 13, 2022. 
• It is anticipated that tens of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing war will make their way to Canada. 
• The City of Hamilton is facilitating a local response with the Ukrainian community, immigration and resettlement agencies, and community partners while also coordinating regionally with Greater Toronto Hamilton Area (GTHA) municipalities.
•  240,000 Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) applications have been received by the Government of Canada, and approximately 112,000 have been processed.
• In April 2022, Hamilton City Council passed the Mayor's motion to grant up to $50,000 to fund air and ground transport of up to four cargo shipments to Ukraine of humanitarian and non-lethal military aid collected locally and organized by Taras Bulba Ukraine Support 2022.