LocationsStatement by Mikkel Hørlyck, war photographer
It was an honour to photograph people across Ukraine, from communities near the eastern and southern front line. This journey offered a profound perspective on resilience, justice, and development in a country living through war.
Travelling with a small UNDP team, we spent long hours on the road, crossing landscapes that, at first glance, often appeared untouched. Yet the presence of war was unmistakable. It could be felt in the atmosphere, in conversations, and in the uncertainty that accompanies daily life. As we moved closer to frontline communities, the destruction became increasingly visible. These photographs were taken during November and December 2025.
I met people whose work reflects the many dimensions of Ukraine’s recovery and resilience. I photographed people advancing energy solutions, supporting veteran inclusion, creating new business opportunities, clearing landmines, responding to emergencies, and helping others adapt to entirely new professions through reskilling and education.
What united these stories was a shared determination to act. Rather than being defined by destruction, these individuals embodied a commitment to rebuilding, innovating, and moving forward. Their efforts reveal a dimension of war that is often overlooked: the persistence of everyday work, responsibility, and hope. Together, these stories offer a more nuanced understanding of contemporary conflict.
The exhibition title, Ukraine: Tip of the Spear, reflects this spirit. While the phrase is often associated with those at the forefront of a challenge, here it refers to the people driving Ukraine’s recovery and resilience. Across the country, I witnessed individuals restoring essential services, rebuilding livelihoods, pioneering new solutions, and helping their communities adapt under extraordinary circumstances. They work at the forefront of Ukraine’s recovery efforts, demonstrating what determination, innovation, and collective action can achieve in the face of immense adversity.
I chose to work in traditional black-and-white photography to create a sense of visual continuity across different regions and experiences. Removing colour allowed me to focus on people, expressions, and human connections rather than geography alone.
Before this exhibition, my work in Ukraine included documenting rescue operations following missile strikes, soldiers on the front line in Donetsk Oblast, and medical professionals working under extraordinary pressure.
Having followed the war in Ukraine through photography between 2024 and 2026, and having previously documented people affected by conflict and humanitarian crises in other parts of the world, I have found this experience to be among the most impactful and challenging of my career.
My deepest respect belongs to the people who, through countless professions and purposes, continue to keep Ukraine functioning. Their efforts are strengthened by the solidarity of international partners, including the Scandinavian countries, whose support contributes to Ukraine’s resilience, recovery, and future reconstruction. Their willpower is not abstract. It is an active choice to endure and to rebuild.
