Maxim Dondyuk


Maxim Dondyuk is a photographer and visual artist. His professional career began in Ukrainian media as a photojournalist in 2007. He has been freelance since 2010, working on creating and promoting his own documentary projects.
He is a finalist of the Prix Pictet Photography Prize, a Lucie Awards International Photographer of the Year, winner of the Prix Photo La Quatrieme Image, winner of the Ville de Perpignan Remi Ochlik Award at Visa pour l’Image, a Magnum Photos competition ‘30 under 30’ for emerging documentary photographers, finalist of the W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography, finalist for the FotoEvidence Book Award, and received Grand Prix ‘Best Global Health Story’ of Becton Dickinson ’s 'Hope for a Healthy World Photo Competition.'

Life and work

Dondyuk was born in the Ukrainian SSR. His first long-term projects Uman, Rosh Hashana, The Crimea Sich, TB epidemic in Ukraine are analyses of the time, situation. Not being interested in stereotypes, he is a direct participant in the events, and uses personal experience and emotions to emphasize their basic meaning.
From the project Culture of the Confrontation, Dondyuk's perception of photography has changed. He began filling his works with second meaning and associational level. He doesn't want to specify the time period, the place and reasons. Through photography he wants to show eternal themes, wants people to associate his works "with their memories from reading books, music, their own life."
Dondyuk's works were presented during the festivals in Arles, Paris, Minsk and published in magazines such as: Time, Der Spiegel, Stern, Paris Match, Rolling Stone, Photo District News, Bloomberg Businessweek, Russian Reporter, Libération, Polka, 6Mois and Esquire etc. He also works with international organizations, such as International Committee of the Red Cross and the World Health Organization.

Publications

Solo exhibitions