The Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art (UIMA) is pleased to present their next exhibition: Voices From the Gray Zone, a documentary photography and video exhibition by Chicago-based photographer and artist Eric Bladholm, with a public reception on Saturday, September 19, from 12 to 4 PM.

Compiled over nine extensive humanitarian aid trips to Ukraine between 2022 and 2026, Voices From the Gray Zone documents daily life under russian aggression in some of the regions most affected by occupation and war. Presented as a timeline of photographs and video, the exhibition traces the struggles, resilience, and increasingly dangerous conditions faced by Ukrainian civilians and communities on the ground.

Bladholm's work bears witness to the people of Ukraine, giving voice to those russia has sought to silence through violence and oppression. The exhibition offers Chicago audiences a rare, firsthand visual record from an artist who has repeatedly traveled into the country during wartime, building direct relationships with the communities he photographs.

Slava Ukraini! Glory to Ukraine!

Exhibition Details:

Voices From the Gray Zone Opening Reception: Saturday, September 19, 12–4 PM

Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, 2320 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60622

About the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art:

The Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art (UIMA) preserves and promotes contemporary art as a shared expression of the Ukrainian and American experience. UIMA develops, utilizes and encourages artistic talent through exhibitions, concerts, readings, lectures and films to serve the cultural needs of our community and city, and thereby strengthen cultural understanding and diversity.

About Eric Bladholm:

Eric Bladholm is a Chicago-based photographer, artist, and master glassworker whose documentary work focuses on humanitarian and conflict-affected communities. Since 2022, he has made nine extended trips to Ukraine to document the human impact of the war.