As we announced earlier this week, Juxtapoz has teamed with a group of Ukraine-based artists, curated by our friend Waone, to create a series of prints to benefit people on the ground in the country effected by the continued war. You can see and purchase the prints here: https://shop.juxtapoz.com/prints.html

We have spoken with each artist who has generously donated a print, and today, we speak with Kyiv-based artist Alexey Kondakov, who offers The Visitor and Private Party for the series, who uses surrealistic documentary photography to superimpose figures from classical artwork into everyday scenes of modern life. He is renowned for his Photoshopped collage series in which Kyiv, Ukraine served as the backdrop for characters from old world masterpieces. The artist merges the past and the present, showing with a deft eye how classical figures fit seamlessly into contemporary situations that, in themselves, are timeless.

Evan Pricco: Alexey, you gave two prints to this series, can you give us a little background on them?
Alexey Kondakov: The Visitor background is a view in the building where my studio is located, a peaceful place near the government district. I love summertime there; so quiet and you hear the birds singing closer to the evening. Once I was hosting friends at the studio at night and my wife was smoking in the window, and this situation inspired me, made me feel so young as we were having fun in front of an open window. So when I saw this old artwork it gave me an emotional connection with the evening.

Private Party is about spending time in nightclubs. I entered the night life only a few years ago and saw that clubs are a place of freedom, where everyone can have fun or rest whenever they want. Isn't it a freedom we stand for here right now?

Right now, as the war heads into its second month, what has the past 4-5 weeks taught you about your place, yourself, and the people around you?
The War in Ukraine gave me the understanding that we knew nothing about war until it came to our houses. When it is far away—you know nothing, there is no war at all. Only those who have met the war can understand each other. But I am happy that people around the globe trying to understand and help us — this is the only way to a civilized society. 

You can purchase the prints at https://shop.juxtapoz.com/prints.html

All procoeeds to benefit Save Ukraine Now
https://www.saveukrainenow.if.ua/en/