Wednesday, October 30, 2024

About 'Empty Beds,' a photo memorial that honors Ukrainian children abducted during the war

Photos by Steven 

Saturday saw the arrival on the NE corner of Second Avenue and Second Street of "Empty Beds," a 100-foot-long, 8-foot-tall memorial "to the over 19,546 children abducted by Russian forces" from Ukraine since the invasion in 2022.

Brooklyn-based photographer Phil Buehler recently returned from Ukraine, where he was capturing the war's impact on civilians. 

Here's more about the subject matter: 
These children were taken to Russia or Russian-occupied areas without consent, leaving their beds empty or destroyed by bombs. 

Buehler, though not Ukrainian, felt compelled to return and bring these stories to the U.S. through this powerful public artwork.
When the photographer is present, the exhibit includes discarded toys alongside the photographs... 
From a piece on the memorial via The New York Times:
"I think every parent can imagine there's some loved child there," Buehler said, referring to the bedroom photos. He hopes the mural, spanning an entire block, creates space for viewers to reflect on loss and waiting. 

"I wanted it out on the street, where anyone passing by could stop and engage with the work," he said.
The work will be on display through November. 

Last November, Buehler shared an exhibit on Second and Second titled "Irpin Ukraine: Please Don't Forget Us," a 60-foot-long photograph of the cemetery of civilian cars destroyed by Russian forces at the beginning of the war.

6 comments:

  1. So well covered in this article!

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  2. Thank you so much for the context! I'm bummed that this lovely installation has already been tagged, big time.

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  3. This is an important work of art and political activism. The Ukrainian children kidnapped by the Russian Government led by Putin are victims of a war crime. Another reason why Kamala Harris must win this presidential election since Trump will just let Putin get away with all his war crimes and territory stealing.

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  4. As much as this breaks my heart and it’s difficult to see it’s important that it is seen and known about

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  5. looks like they tore down my high school.Thank you grieve for bringing this to my attention

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  6. I can identify, but not easily identify with, the people who paint the murals on buildings in nearby San Rafael and other local cities here. Phil Buehler has photographed the display of paintings in Ukraine with an artistical hand -- his efforts intended to help children disadvantaged and harmed under the government presently in power in Russia. Small acts or the raw patients of applying for a lot of time in working with arts is a kind of unknown in the offsite environment where Buehler has entered his works. We can draw grounding in arts composition from the Buehler's photographs, and we can apply further looks into the development of art prodigy during times of greater technological exchange.

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