Photography Exhibit: Scenes of Ukraine

SARASOTA – The Rosemary Art & Design District (RADD) and DreamLargewill feature a one-night photography exhibit showcasing the work of Photographer Alan Mestel. The black and white photography exhibit, Scenes of Ukraine, is free to the public and is open from 8 to 11 pm this Friday evening.

Photographer Alan Mestel worked for twenty years in the Toronto advertising industry as a photographer, director and editor of national TV commercials. His work for major national brands received recognition in both the US and Canada with a number of prestigious awards, including the 1992 Gold Bessie for the best TV commercial in Canada that year. In 2016, Mestel and his family relocated to Florida.

Mestel is best known for his "street photography" that captures powerful images of humanity in candidly-authentic and emotional snapshots. Despite challenging conditions, much of Mestel's work has centered around documenting the lives of vulnerable populations, including Sarasota’s homeless population, immigrants being deported from Texas, and individuals seeking asylum in the United States. Most recently Mestel traveled to the Poland-Ukraine border to document the ongoing refugee crisis caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, capturing a series of moving and revealing images from inside the humanitarian crisis.


The photographer's objective was to capture the experience of Ukrainian refugees crossing into Poland, documenting their difficult journey to flee the Russian government's violent invasion of their homeland. "It's my intent that the viewer will connect emotionally with each subject and understand that each individual's shock and suffering is an epic tragedy in and of itself," Mestel said. "Multiply each story by literally millions and you get some idea of the enormity of the horror inflicted on the Ukrainian people."

The free exhibit will take place at the PINC Pop-Up Studio located at 580 Central Avenue, Sarasota, this Friday only, from 8 to 11 pm.

In March, DreamLarge hosted RADD for Ukraine, a fundraising event that raised over $35,000 in monetary contributions and more than 400 boxes of supplies. This exhibit follows the successful event, providing additional opportunities for the community to donate and contribute.

For more information visit www.raddforukraine.org.