Raum für Fotografie Klagenfurt, Dec. 3rd 2025 - Jan, 10th 2026
Reiner Riedler's photographs from Ukraine seem as if they have fallen out of time. Today, in the shadow of Russia's war of aggression, they have taken on new historical and political significance. They show a country that – long before the current escalation – was undergoing a profound process of social and cultural reorientation.
The photographs were taken between 1999 and 2003. Riedler shows Ukraine within its borders at that time – including Crimea and the eastern regions that are now occupied. His photographs tell of poverty and deprivation, but also of hope, dignity and a departure into an uncertain future.
Riedler encounters people in their everyday lives with a clear, respectful gaze. His portraits are unstaged, direct and at the same time imbued with great empathy. From today's perspective, they seem like time capsules – they capture a reality that has changed irrevocably, yet give us a glimpse of what is to come.
