Boris Mikhailov: Ukrainian Diary

Interesting exhibition at the Photographers’ Gallery looking at the life and work of the Ukrainian photographer Boris Mikhailov.

The show was arranged over two floors with the first looking at the Soviet years and the other the years since. His work combines humour and tragedy via photographs, conceptual work and performance. The text explained how he was given a camera to record the work of the factory where he worked but instead used it to take nude pic
tures of his wife and he was fired. This story sums up his anarchic approach to his photography.

The show was displayed in series with good explanations of them and often including quotes from Mikhailov.I loved his series called “Red” with images featuring the colour often in a subversive way and a tender series of pictures of people dancing in the street.

Closed 22 February 2026


Review

Guardian


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