Statement:

History should be our mentor, we should learn from it in order to prevent ourselves from committing the same mistakes.The war in Ukraine and the military operations of Russian forces in Chernobyl raised once again attention to the worst nuclear accident in human history and to the dangers related to the irresponsible use of technology.///

Between 2015-2016 Mehrdad Khataei created a collection called ''Made in Chernobyl'' as a reminiscence of the disaster that hit Earth on 26 April 1986. As a symbol of how technological advancement, irresponsibility and personal aspirations for power can interfere with our individuum and with our fundamental rights, this collection is a subversion.

These portraits of individuals commemorate the lost humanity, the lost  freedoms, the lost identities and the lost expressions.

The war in Ukraine and particularly the marching of troops in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and in the site of the Nuclear Power Plant observes the overwhelming desire of tyrants to oppress freedom and individual expression and they pose a threat to our history and culture. Our role in this journey is to make our voices loud and teach our oppressors what we stand for, what freedom stands for.

In collaboration with Free Press Unlimited all proceeds from the exhibition will be donated to the free press of Ukraine to keep sharing stories of the war.