• Roman Pilipey "The Ultimate Price"
    Jul 11 2024
    Roman Pilipey is a Ukrainian photojournalist based in Kiyv. The first main event he witnessed as a photographer was the Euromaidan revolution in Kyiv, 2013-2014, when Ukraine showed its clear and unmistakable determination to be a part of Europe. It is no coincidence that the invasion and annexation of Crimea by Russian military happened only a few months later. From 2014, Roman was covering the, then still isolated, war in eastern Ukraine, and, in the same year, became the staff photographer for European Pressphoto Agency (EPA). For the next few years, Roman's focus was mainly on Eastern Ukraine and its aftermath, while also working in other parts of the country. In 2017, Roman relocated to Beijing for EPA where he worked on stories and covered major news events in China, becoming in 2022 the EPA bureau chief for the China region. Throughout his years in China, he has been traveling to almost every corner of the country. For his work in China he was awarded Photographer of the Year, POY Asia 2022. When the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, Roman had just finished covering the Beijing Olympic Games. He immediately left China and went to his native country to cover the war. Since then he relocated back to Ukraine, where he works on stories of the ongoing war. In early 2023, after eight years in EPA, Roman left the agency. Since then he is actively collaborating with Getty Images, and works as chief photographer for Agence France-Presse (AFP). In 2023, with his picture from Bucha, which we will discuss in more detail a little later on, he was awarded Pictures of the Year International (POY) Finalist in “War in Ukraine: News” category, and in 2024 Roman was named Photojournalist of the Year, National at the 2024 National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) in the category Best of Photojournalism. An award he much deserves and I was very happy to see him receive.

    Having him in the van with us today, we will look at the Russian invasion of Ukraine through the eyes of one its most accomplished chroniclers by discussing a selection of Roman's images from the last two years. And I am, therefore, incredibly grateful to have him with us today.

    Welcome to the Yellow Van, Roman!

    ---

    SHOW NOTES

    Image Gallery
    https://bit.ly/yellowvanstories

    Roman on the Web
    https://www.facebook.com/roman.pilipey
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/roman-pilipey-3a1a2367/
    https://x.com/RomanPilipey

    Ukraine Aid
    https://www.hospitallers.life/
    https://prytulafoundation.org/en
    https://savelife.in.ua/en/

    ---

    MUSIC
    Love In The Face Of Fear, Jim Kroft

    Support the Show

    ---

    The Yellow Van on YouTube:
    https://youtu.be/voAIEy4j4Lc

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    2 hrs and 43 mins
  • Iryna Schneider "Ein Amalgam aus Großstadt und Natur"
    Jan 11 2024

    Today is a double premiere! For the first time I made an actual home visit and I conducted the entire interview in German! My apologies to all English native speakers, the next one will be for you again as well.

    Meine Reisegefährtin dieses Mal ist Iryna Schneider. Sie betreibt eine eigene Marketingagentur seitdem sie aus der Ukraine nach #München umgesiedelt ist. Über sich selbst sagt sie: “Tagsüber bin ich Marketingmanagerin und abends Künstlerin.”

    Wir unterhalten uns über ihre Kunst entlang der Grenze von Großstadt und Natur, den Wert des Ehrenamtes in unseren turbulenten Zeiten, und wie die Kunst, vor allem Kindern die den Krieg kennenlernen mussten, bei der Trauma-Bewältigung helfen kann. Und, wie immer, vieles mehr.

    Neben ihrer ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeit betreibt Iryna eigene Initiativen und Hilfsprojekt|e zur Unterstützung der Ukraine. Die Links dazu findet Ihr unten in den Show Notes.

    Willkommen im Yellow Van, Iryna!

    SHOW NOTES
    Schickeria
    Kateryna Bilokur
    Banksy
    Tafel Deutschland
    Malteser Hilfsdienst e.V.
    Pablo Picasso

    ILIYA CHICHKAN On
    Mutual Art
    Adamovskiy Foundation
    Instagram

    IRYNA'S INITIATIVES
    https://www.instagram.com/irynas_artwork
    https://www.instagram.com/donate_for_children_ukraine

    MUSIC
    Love In The Face Of Fear, Jim Kroft

    Support the show

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    1 hr and 37 mins
  • Mykola Kondrashev "Choosing Ukraine"
    Jun 29 2023

    Mykola Kondrashev is an award-winning cinematographer and photographer based in Kiyv who also holds a master's degree in psychology.

    With his experience on a wide array of projects including commercial music videos, feature films, and television series, Mykola has honed his skills to create captivating and powerful visuals.

    Mykola’s impressive portfolio of projects spans the globe and he has worked with huge names like Coca-Cola, Radisson and Nescafé.

    Mykola’s dedication to his craft is evident in all of his work, and we are excited to welcome him on board the Yellow Van to learn more about his journey as a cinematographer, how his daily routine has changed during the war and how the deep divide of war can split right through the middle of a family.

    And, as always, a lot more.

    Welcome to the Yellow Van, Mykola!

    Shortly after the recording of our episode, Mykola received mail from the army to be registered with them. As I am recording this, Mykola, like countless other Ukrainians is waiting for his marching order. It could come any moment of any day. Alex Kraev from Odessa, who you might remember from one of the previous episodes, has already been at the front for almost two months now. In one of his latest Facebook-Posts, he wrote: "I am not dead, I am learning." War becomes something else entirely when you know the people who are thrown into it.

    SHOW NOTES

    Nyvky - a suburb of Kyiv
    V2 Rockets
    Bucha
    Irpin
    Cossacks
    Khokhol
    Oseledets
    Khmelnytsky Uprising
    Takflix, Ukrainian film streaming service
    Wladiwostok

    Sergei Loznitsa, Ukrainian director
    My Joy, film directed by Sergei Loznitsa

    Link to the episode with Alex Kraev

    Mykola Online
    Mykola’s Personal website
    Mykola’s Facebook
    Mykola’s Instagram

    Donations
    Civilian: Psychological Association of Ukraine
    Military: Eyes On Ukraine, Support for Drones

    Love In The Face Of Fear, Jim Kroft

    Support the show

    Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bump Production.

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    1 hr and 42 mins
  • Gayane Arushanian "Chaos & Harmony"
    May 11 2023
    Gayane Arushanian is a multidisciplinary artist from Kyiv. She is the founder of the School of Experimental Art in Kyiv and the G-ART STUDIO in Zaporizhzhia.

    Gayané is not only an outstanding artist, but she also has a Master's in Urban Construction and Design and Economic Cybernetics from the Zaporizhzhia State Engineering Academy.

    Her mathematical knowledge and her artistic eye and love for colour enable her to create shapes, forms and colour patterns oscillating between harmony and chaos.

    She says:
    I have always believed that art was and is the source, the way, and the opportunity to be honest with myself and the world around me. Equilibrium is about finding the balance of the image of the world, the world within. Colour, shapes and composition are the only criteria of harmony for me. There is an ideal state of the world around - Chaos! And all of this is in the indefinite darkness that you and I reveal every day.

    Gayané was born in Armenia and had to flee her home when the first war between Armenia and Azerbaijan broke out. The Russian invasion of Ukraine on the 24th of February 2022 made a lot of those memories resurface.

    Today, we want to take a look at Gayané's very personal story of becoming an artist, the Ukrainian art world in a more general way and the challenges it faces because of the war.
    And a lot more, of course.

    It is a great pleasure and privilege to have her in the Yellow Van today!

    SHOW NOTES

    Cybernetics
    ARC Gallery, Chicago
    City of Kherson
    City of Uman
    First Nagorno-Karabakh War
    Khmelnytsky Uprising
    Fibonacci Sequence
    Berlin Ensemble
    Gaia, Greek goddess

    Gayane's Inspiration
    Yuryi Khymych (painter)
    Arkhyp Kuindzhi (painter)
    Vasyl Symonenko (poet)
    Myroslav Skoryk (composer)
    Sergei Parajanov (film director)

    Gayane Online
    Gayane's Online Art Classes:
    www.airbnb.ru/experiences/1008843
    Gayane on Instagram:
    www.instagram.com/gaya_arushanian
    Gayane's Website:
    www.gayanearushanian.com
    Gayane on LinkedIn:
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/gayane-arushanian-702409ab

    New York Group Exhibition "Design On A Dime"MUSIC
    Love In The Face Of Fear, Jim Kroft

    Support the show

    Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bump Production.

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    1 hr and 30 mins
  • Anastasiia Sanzharovska "Day By Day"
    Apr 6 2023

    Anastasiia Sanzharovska is a producer, director, and video editor from Ukraine. She originally studied system analysis and maths but turned to her real passion film soon after finishing her studies. She has been working as a producer, director, 1st AD, and video editor ever since. In February 2022, Anastasiia was in Egypt for a 3-week holiday but got stuck there due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. She has been living there ever since.

    We'll talk about her early beginnings in filmmaking, why she chose film over maths, the Ukrainian TV scene, and her life in Egypt. And, as always, a lot more.

    Welcome to the Yellow Van, Anastasiia! Thanks for travelling with us.

    SHOW NOTES
    Links to a selection of Anastassia's works
    What Is Wrong With Me (Short Film) - Direction
    ZFeelZ Shame (Music Video) - 1st Assistant Director
    Тизер ДВДС 2 (Short Movie) - 1st Assistant DirectorAnastasiia's Social Media Channels
    Facebook
    Instagram
    LinkedInSinai Media Club in Sharm El-SheikhInitiatives To Support
    Prytula Foundation - Support for the Ukrainian Army
    Come Back Alive - Support for the Ukrainian Army
    National Bank of Ukraine - Dedicated Account for the Humanitarian Assistance of Ukrainian Citizens

    MUSIC
    Love In The Face Of Fear, Jim Kroft

    Support the show

    Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bump Production.

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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • Andriy Dubchak "Dignity"
    Mar 30 2023
    Today with us in the Yellow Van is Andriy Dubchak, a correspondent and photographer for Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty as well as the founder of the interactive media platform Donbas Frontliner. He specializes in telling the stories of soldiers and civilians caught up in the conflict in eastern Ukraine. He received a 2022 Free Media Award from the Fritt Ord and ZEIT foundations for his "courageous professional reporting from battle zones." Andriy also received a Lovie award for coverage of the Maidan protests in 2014 and a Gold Medal in the LifePressPhoto competition in 2020, and more. Andriy has captured the main pivot points of the younger Ukrainian history and I am thrilled that he has found the time to join us on the Yellow van today.
    I had the chance to speak to him after he had just returned from Bachmut, where heavy fighting is taking place.FOLLOW DONBAS FRONTLINER
    Web
    Instagram
    Facebook
    Twitter
    YouTube
    TelegramSUPPORT DONBAS FRONTLINER
    Patreon

    MUSIC
    Love In The Face Of Fear, Jim Kroft

    Support the show

    Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bump Production.


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    1 hr and 21 mins
  • Dafna Rachok & Ivan Shmatko "The Stoic Use of Expletives"
    Mar 16 2023

    With us in the Yellow Van this week are Dafna Rachok and Ivan Shmatko.
    Dafna Rachok is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Anthropology at Indiana University Bloomington. Her research seeks to understand how vulnerable groups in Ukraine respond to existing HIV prevention and treatment programs and how their attitudes to the state shape their desire or reluctance to seek those programs. Ivan Shmatko is a PhD student in sociology at the University of Alberta (Canada). Ivan has been a part of the volunteer movement in Ukraine since February 24. He has done research on policing in Ukraine and the imaginaries that shape how police officers see their work and interact with others. His doctoral research project focuses on the experiences of newly mobilized soldiers in Ukraine. Being on leave from their universities in February 2022, they decided to stay in Ukraine when Russia assaulted their home. Rather than escape to safety across the Atlantic Ocean, they looked for ways and means to support their homeland and their fellow Ukrainians. Join us as we talk about their #volunteering work, the importance of humour in times of darkness and why Ukrainians collectively dislike Elon Musk.
    And, as always, a lot more. Thank you, Dafna and Ivan, for joining the Yellow Van.
    Your bravery and empathy are an inspiration.

    SHOW NOTES
    Sociological group "RATING"
    International Red Cross and Red Crescent
    World Food Programme
    Leonid Kuchma
    Article by Dafna Rachok: On Trust, Transparency, and Learning from the Experience of the Extraordinary
    Article by Ivan Shmatko: A Voracious Beast - Emotional Energy in the Tsunami of Suffering

    DONATIONS
    Come Back Alive
    Hospitaliers

    FOLLOW DAFNA AND IVAN
    Dafna's Twitter
    Dafna's LinkedIn
    Ivan's Twitter
    Ivan's Facebook

    MUSIC
    Love In The Face Of Fear, Jim Kroft

    Support the show

    Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bump Production.

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    2 hrs and 25 mins
  • Nick Torzhevskyi "Ukraine Rebirth"
    Aug 25 2022

    Nick Torzhevsky is a film director and producer from Kyiv with over 10 years of experience directing and producing broadcast TV series, commercials, and feature films.
    Nick's latest project, Ukraine Rebirth, is putting a focus on the rebuilding of Ukraine after the war - something that struck me as extraordinary as the war is still raging on without an end in sight. On the website of Ukraine Rebirth, the project is introduced as follows:

    "Our main message within the series, as seen from the title, is to show rebirth. Everyone has fallen, and it takes heart and strength to get up and keep going. Ukraine is very strong, and now this is noticed by the whole world. Ukrainians are brave, fierce, united and valiant, but also kind, passionate, full of love and hope. In the face of the enemy, we don’t just prepare for the last stand, we prepare to win and then to rebuild our country, to rise from the ashes, better and stronger than before.We want to capture this spirit which helps Ukrainians keep going and to share it with the world, so that this hope and passion will blossom in the hearts of every viewer around the globe."


    How exactly the idea for the project was born and how Nick is feeding his seemingly inexhaustible optimism is something we will be discussing in today's show. And, as always, a lot more.

    SHOW NOTES
    Find Nick Here
    Ukraine Rebirth
    Instagram
    Facebook

    Ukraine Rebirth Collaborators
    LGBTQI+ Story
    Stanislav Morozov (director)
    Stanislav Medvedev (screenwriter)
    Olexiy Gladushevskyi (creative producer)
    Evgeniy Usanov (director of photography)

    Kyiv Story
    Nataliya Torzhevska (screenwriter)
    Stanislav Savchenko (director of photography)

    Cherson Story
    Julia Tribrat (director)
    Lana Iermakova (screenwriter)

    Support the Kickstarter Campaign here
    https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ukrainerebirthlgbtq/ukraine-rebirth-lgbtq

    MUSIC
    Love In The Face Of Fear, Jim Kroft

    Yellow Van Stories is a Mind The Bump Production

    Support the show

    Yellow Van Stories is a Mind the Bump Production.

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    1 hr and 48 mins