WHEN

until February 1, 11am – 6pm, Monday to Sunday

WHERE

The Strand Gallery, 32 John Adam Street, London, WC2N 6BP

Admission

FREE

Photographer Giorgio Bianchi spent several weeks in Ukraine in February 2014 documenting the violent clashes in the capital between demonstrators and police. His images capturing the protest, death and grief of that time have won him the Terry O’Neill award’s top prize. His work, and that of the other entrants, can be seen at the Strand Gallery in London until 1 February.

From the GUARDIAN article on Giorgio Bianchi:

“I was able to capture clashes that recall, in the manner both of attack and defence, a type of conflict reminiscent of the medieval dark ages,” he says. “Everything was wrapped in a persistent blanket of smoke rising from tyres being burned to prevent the advance of the Ukrainian president’s feared Berkut special forces. Both sides fought to gain, or regain, mere inches of ground … I witnessed the destruction of the barricades by the police, and their subsequent rebuilding, even higher and stronger than before, by demonstrators … who swarmed and rallied like ants defending their nest. By the end of 20 February, the clash of sticks, iron bars and truncheons on shields gave way to the sharp, rhythmic reports of snipers’ rifles.”

See more photos by Giorgio Bianchi here.