Olga Ignatovich. A rare view of WWII through the lens of a Soviet female photographer

Olga Ignatovich. A rare view of WWII through the lens of a Soviet female photographer

The exhbition is based on the recently discovered war archive of Olga Ignatovich, one of the seven Soviet women photographers who photographed the Second World War. Most of the negatives taken by Olga Ignatovich were considered lost until they were found by photographer and collector Arthur Bondar. This truly unique discovery allows us not only to see Olga Ignatovich's photographic talent much more fully, but also to identify the true authorship of many of the images, which in the post-war years were attributed to Boris Ignatovich (her brother).

Women photographers during World War II made significant contributions to the documentation of the war, often in challenging and perilous conditions. While their work may not be as widely recognized as that of their male counterparts, their contributions are essential in understanding the wartime experience in the USSR and Eastern Europe. Olga Ignatovich's war photographs not only serve as historical records but also as powerful visual narratives that offer a more intimate and human perspective on the war.

2024, Dialog Buro Vienna (Vienna, Austria)