Main image: Mykhaylo Ray
The thirty-fifth interview through images by Andrew Sheptunov
At the crossroads of our two special columns—"You in the Army Now" and "Silver and Steel: Documentarians of Our Time"—emerges a unique figure. This is a person whose life and creative path illustrate how high art merges with the harsh reality of the struggle for survival and freedom. Meet Mykhaylo Ray, a photo artist whose works are known far beyond the borders of Ukraine, and who is currently a serviceman in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Mykhaylo was born and shaped in the south of Ukraine, and his native Kherson holds a central place not only in his biography but also in his artistic heart. This city, with its distinct steppe wind, southern sun, and stubborn, freedom-loving character, provided him with his first visual codes. It was there that he began his journey, exploring the surrounding world through a camera lens and the limitless possibilities of digital graphics.
Mykhaylo Ray's style is difficult to confine within the rigid framework of classical photography. It is, rather, a deep, psychological surrealism, where photography becomes merely a tool for crafting complex visual metaphors.
He masterfully works with digital manipulation, blending realistic fragments to create paradoxical, sometimes disturbing, but always mesmerizing worlds. His works compel the viewer to look into their own subconscious, raising questions about existence, inner fears, and the limits of human perception.
However, Russia's full-scale invasion radically altered the context of his art. The surreal nightmare he had previously constructed only in his digital works suddenly spilled out onto the streets of his hometown. Having survived the grueling months of Kherson's occupation,
Mykhaylo felt firsthand how familiar reality collapses and how critically important it is to preserve one's inner core when absurdity, darkness, and cruelty reign.
The decision to join the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was a logical step for a man who has always sought and defended freedom—previously in art, and now with weapons in hand. The "You in the Army Now" column is not just a figure of speech for Mykhaylo today; it is his daily physical reality. He traded his creative studio for military fatigues, yet he never lost his sharp, uncompromising vision of the world.
His projects created during the full-scale war, particularly the piercing series Kherson Diary and Ukrainian Home, resonate perfectly with the core idea of our "Silver and Steel" column. Ray documents this historical era not through dry reporting, but through the emotional imprints these events leave on the soul of the nation. His documentary work is a record of the states of mind, traumas, hopes, and resilience that every Ukrainian experiences today.
When words lose their power in the face of historical upheaval and daily pain, visual language comes to the rescue. That is why we chose an unconventional format for this conversation. We did not ask Mykhaylo to write long texts or provide extensive commentary during his brief moments of rest between military duties.
Instead, we asked him about the most essential things: about home, the perception of time, internal transformations, and sources of strength.
To each of these questions, photo artist and warrior Mykhaylo Ray responds with his artworks. Every image below is his direct speech, concentrated emotion, and the honest testimony of an eyewitness. We invite you to immerse yourself in this visual dialogue, where images speak louder than any words.
1. Demonstrate a photograph that best conveys your inner state at the moment you realized the familiar reality no longer exists.
2. Demonstrate a photograph capturing that exact character of the South—stubborn, free, and unyielding in the face of a threat.
3. Share a work where the concept of freedom ceases to be just an abstract word and takes on a visible, physically tangible form.
4. Reveal a work for us where light defeats darkness not in a literal, optical sense, but in a deeply metaphorical one.
5. Share a work that answers, without extra words, what exactly gives you the strength to stay and continue your mission today.
6. Which of your works best conveys the feeling of how a surreal nightmare suddenly becomes everyday reality?
7. Reveal a shot for us that embodies the invisible yet unbreakable bond between Ukrainians currently separated by distances.
8. Which of your pictures speaks of the Black Sea not as a familiar backdrop, but as a stern and silent witness to history?
9. Share a visual story that could silently explain the essence of Ukrainian identity to the viewer without resorting to obvious symbols.
10. Share a work where urban architecture and streets act not just as a background, but as living participants in the unfolding events.
11. Which of your works metaphorically speaks of deep roots and an attachment to your native land that cannot be severed?
12. Share a work you would leave to future generations as the most emotionally honest document of our time.
These visual answers are only a small, yet profoundly deep, part of Mykhaylo Ray's universe. Encrypted in every pixel of his digital canvases is the pain of loss, the power of resistance, and an unbreakable faith in the light that will inevitably overcome the darkness. His works prove that even when everyday life turns into a cruel surreal plot, a person can preserve their ability to create.
Mykhaylo continues his fight on two fronts: defending the country with weapons in hand and preserving our identity through his uncompromising art.
We sincerely thank the author for this candid dialogue without words. Today, each of his works is not just an art object, but an important historical document written in the language of metaphors and symbols. We look forward to the day when peaceful subjects will once again become the main theme of his new works, and weapons will be permanently replaced by digital graphic tools.
To dive deeper into Mykhaylo Ray's work, support the artist, and see more of his piercing pieces, we invite you to visit his official pages:
