The Centre of Visual Culture Béton presents the exhibition ‘From Document to Symbol’ dedicated to war photography. The photo chronicle of wars was created both by 19th century photographers such as A.Ivanov, D.Nikitin and more famous masters of Soviet photography such as D.Baltermants, E.Khaldey, I.Shagin, R.Diament and many others. The exhibition, which will include 90 works – daguerreotypes and author’s prints – will trace the evolution of military photo-reportage – from recording events to the creation of symbolic photographs.

As soon as photography technology was able to transcend the limits of the scientific experiment and provide marginally acceptable visual results, its new capabilities were harnessed for military purposes. After all, it was clear from the outset that photography could provide more accurate visual data and do so much more quickly and efficiently than traditional imaging techniques. However, the application of photography was by no means limited to providing logistical and information-logistical functions. War is far more than a direct clash between opposing sides. It is no less a clash of opposing specific points of view and worldview concepts in general, the impossibility of peaceful coexistence of which forms the prerequisites for direct armed conflict. For this reason, one of the most important fields of application of images obtained with the help of photography has become its use in the field of war of mentalities, i.e. in the so-called information war. This confrontation, unlike physical confrontation, required more sophisticated methods and refined means, since its aim was to eliminate ideals and beliefs rather than actual weapons or the enemy.

While admiring the merits of the objective authenticity of textbook images, the viewer must ask himself an extremely difficult question – What is ultimately more important: the reliable literal ‘truth’ of visual fixation or the truth of emotional empathy and the expressive motivating power of the work? In other words, can the image overcome the boundaries of visual documentation, objective impartiality, and move to another level, becoming a collective symbol, a result of creative generalisation and a means of emotional impact on the viewer of the author’s subjective empathy?

In this case, photography is no longer an instrument of natural scientific research, but a means of social organisation of society, a part of the method of forming mentality, supporting the system of values or, on the contrary, destroying stereotypes, approving or overcoming subjective rules.