Extraordinary images at Chernobyl 30th anniversary exhibition at United Nations HQ

Philip Grossman's exhibition of Chernobyl images to exhibit at the headquarters of the United Nations

In a follow-up to one our favorite stories from 2015, photographer, cinematographer and documentarian Philip Grossman is readying his work for a personal exhibition at one of the most prestigious locales imaginable.

One of my favorite stories of last year covered Philip Grossman and his many forays into the Chernobyl Zone. If you haven't had a chance to read that interview, check it out, as it offers a vivid and, at times, haunting account of his experiences. The piece also delved into his evolving kit over his six (now seven) excursions and his penchant for using the latest gear available, particularly from Sony and DJI. Here's a clip (RAW, uncorrected) from his seventh trip during December 2015, shot on the DJI Osmo:

At UN Headquarters

Back from his most recent and, possibly, final trip to Chernobyl, Grossman and his wonderful footage and stills from the region are making the rounds. He has an exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science coming up on April 5th, where he'll share his " internationally acclaimed images on the IMAX screen and stories from his time at the site, including of his recent nuptials that actually took place in the zone."

The most noteworthy event will occur later in April, as Grossman's personal exhibition will be on display at the United Nations Headquarters. The entities involved are very particular about how they are credited and represented in copy, so here's how the press release describes the event and its stakeholders:

"A photographic exhibition entitled 'Chernobyl: Tragedy, Lessons, Hope' featuring a collection of photographs by the American artist and cinematographer Philip Grossman will be on display in the United Nations Headquarters in New York on April 18-22, 2016 in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl tragedy. The exhibition is co-organized by the Permanent Mission of Belarus to the United Nations, the Russian American Foundation (USA), Project Chernobyl (USA), and unite4:good (USA).

"The 30th anniversary of the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant marks a significant milestone in the disaster prevention and mitigation efforts of the international community."

Sponsor call

While being selected to exhibit work at the United Nations headquarters is undoubtedly a huge honor, there's apparently still work to be done. "I met with the Russian American Foundation," said Grossman, "and due to the size of this event, learned that we are now having funding issues to cover the costs of publicity and printing of the exhibition booklets as well as other material, so I am seeking sponsorship assistance. The RAF is a 503C organization and the sponsorship could be in the form of a tax deductible donation to this organization."

Grossman and the Russian American Foundation are seeking between $15-$20K in additional funding and welcome any size donations, but if "one or two people who would be willing to solely sponsor," Grossman would invite them as personal guests to the reception on April 20th.

At RedShark, we generally shy away from covering funding efforts before they reach their goals, but this project is fundamentally different from, say, a new piece of camera gear launched on Kickstarter. Plus, we applaud Grossman's work, so it's a bit easier to bend our rules in this case!

For more information on Grossman's personal Chernobyl exhibition at the United Nations Headquarters and sponsorship opportunities, check out his blog post on the subject at exploringthezone.com.