Anton
Shebetko

2018

We Were Here is a series of works depicting real LGBTQIA+ veterans of the war in the region of Donbas and was created in 2018. The series plays on the dual camouflage its heroes must wear: one in the army and the other in civilian life. After participating in this project, veteran Viktor Pylypenko established the organization “Ukrainian LGBT+ Military and Veterans for Equal Rights,” which, before the full-scale invasion, had about 130 members. At the moment, the organization has more than 600 members, most of whom are currently engaged in armed combat.

The organization brings together queer individuals in the Ukrainian army, openly advocating for their acceptance and working to shift societal perceptions in a positive direction, despite existing homophobia. Initially spread through word of mouth, the organization is now well-known and accessible through a verified entry process.

The project was implemented within the "Coming Out of Isolation: Through Art to Visibility" art residency organized by IZOLYATSIA and KYIVPRIDE NGO with the support of the EVZ Foundation.