Lina Chu’s Photographs Find Beauty even within Pain
Upon first discovering Lina Chu, I was magnetized to her sense of wander and beautiful travel and adventure photographs. As I began to explore her works further, I learned she’s currently creating images that are powerful and extremely close to her heart. To describe her current focus as important doesn’t do it enough justice, it’s much, much bigger than that.
It’s difficult to critique a photographer who is documenting a story that isn’t incredible, or amazing, or any of the other superlatives synonymous with photography. Born and raised in Ukraine, Chu, along with her fellow Ukrainians, is enduring something so unmanageable to many of us.
Them Frames is an apolitical publication, however, we’re always on the side of humanity. There’s no denying people in Ukraine are having their lives taken and destroyed, and that should be heartbreaking for anyone to read.
Photographing these events is never easy, especially when it’s happening in the place you call home. Yet despite the challenges, Chu is picking up her camera and doing exceptional work by documenting Ukraine's response to the pain its people has been subjected to.
The biggest compliment I can give Chu is that she’s creating work the mainstream seldom does. She’s not ignoring the realities of the situation, but she’s also not neglecting the strength and positive attitude of the Ukranian people. Her photographs reflect the determination and resilience humans can have, even when they're under extreme pressure.
Throughout this interview we will explore all the types of photography Chu excels in. Through her images she will take you on an adventure, that’s full of excitement. However, during this journey, we’ll also be stopping by Ukraine, where she will share with us her works and the truth of what is happening on the ground.
Them Frames: Hey Lina! You shoot a lot of different types of photography. Which genre do you most enjoy and why?
Lina Chu: I’m a Vietnamese travel and documentary photographer based in Ukraine who is eager to embark on new adventures, and is open to learning, including different genres of photography. My camera is my tool in the exploration of the world around me, and so my photos reflect my state of mind and interests at the time when I shot them.
I get inspired by people who excel at outdoor activities and I try to capture them and pass the inspiration I get to the viewer. With that said, documenting what my country is currently going through is what drives me, which results in me leaning toward the documentary genre at the moment.
Them Frames: You write that you use photography to promote a healthy interaction between humans and nature. Can you explain in further detail what you mean by that please?
Lina Chu: In my opinion, exploring different cultures, landscapes, people, and getting more connected with the world inevitably leads to a greater appreciation of the place we are lucky to live in, whether it’s our town, country or Earth overall. Through photography I truly believe we can inspire people to go and explore, and ultimately we can help foster love, respect towards the environment, and promote responsible tourism. This is what I strive to do, namely through travel, landscape and adventure photography genres.
Them Frames: You’re no stranger to hitchhiking and couch surfing. Do you have any stories where either of them had led to cool photo opportunities?
Lina Chu: Through hitchhiking and couchsurfing I had the opportunity to get to lots of places I otherwise would not reach or would break the bank getting to ;) I wouldn’t say that they had necessarily led me to cool photo opportunities. Let me give you a few examples.
When my fiance and I were in Denali National Park in Alaska, we were hoping to see the famous 6190 m high mountain Denali. Since it has its own climate, the chances of seeing it are very low, and of course we didn’t get a chance during the seven days we were there. Later, we hitchhiked to Denali State Park, hiked Kesugi Ridge trail and how excited we were when the mountain revealed itself high above the clouds, shining on sunrise!
Also, our couchsurfing experience in Fairbanks was one of the best we’ve had. Here’s one of the reasons. When we phoned all the car renting agencies and heard the crazy prices they were charging for driving their car onto Dalton Hwy (to the Arctic Circle, Prudhoe Bay), we almost lost our hope in getting there. But our host generously offered to take her car. It may not have led to excellent photo opportunities, but it sure led to a beautiful time exploring the scenery and “the last store”, “the last gas station” and other “last places” on our way to the Arctic Circle.
Them Frames: You have done a lot of work on the Ukraine-Russia war. Please can you share what the experience has been like for you?
Lina Chu: After Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the first thing I did was I gathered all the neighbors and organized production of Molotov cocktails and masking nets, together with my fiance. It was the first thing I photographed after Feb 24. Then, I received my press card from Ukraїner (a media I worked with), which helped me get access to various humanitarian aid centers, and schools turned into shelters for temporarily displaced Ukrainians. Lviv, the city I live in, is in the west of Ukraine, and it was and remains in fact the biggest humanitarian hub and middle point for those who were/are fleeing abroad (only a 1.5 hour drive to the border with Poland).
I went to the train station which is probably the busiest railway station in the country now and I remember how I decided to have a walk around the station to get a better understanding of the surroundings, and I just burst into tears and only after that I was able to pick up my camera and take a few photos.
As part of a project with Ukraїner, I got a chance to connect closer to some of the Ukrainians who fled the war, and after all these talks, all the stories I can certainly see how strong, how resilient and resourceful we are, how we struggle and at the same time work together to to bring sooner the day every Ukrainians awaits - the victory day. It all makes me grateful, proud and inspired.
Them Frames: Can you tell us more about your relationship with the Ukraїner and what it’s all about?
Lina Chu: Ukraїner is a project which started in 2017 as a documentary series and long reads about Ukraine (similar to National Geographic, but for Ukraine). It was initially aimed at the international audience but soon the team of the project realized that their mission should also be to show Ukraine to Ukrainians. This project resonated with such a huge amount of people who were eager to learn more about their home and present their country to others, that an interesting model of work has been made possible: the core team of less than 20 people operates teams of about 500 volunteers. I work with them as a photographer, by taking part in expeditions around the country, and I’m actually very proud to see my photos in their second book with materials from the last three years of exploring Ukraine.
Their website and social media are translated in at least twelve languages, so you can learn more about my country by browsing through the stories available on their website. After the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine they transitioned from the slow media format to a faster one, with an emphasis on the fast-changing war events. For instance, one of the production teams is now traveling to recently liberated cities and villages and documenting the stories of Ukrainians who have experienced life under Russian occupation.
Them Frames: I really like “We’ll build it up again.” Please can you share how you developed this concept and what it has been like creating the work?
Lina Chu: The project “We’ll build it up again” was born from the place of emotions which I couldn’t help but express through the lens. Imagine the morning of a typical Ukrainian: you wake up, immediately open the news, you excitedly learn about some wins and advancements on the battlefield and get enraged and frustrated when seeing photos of atrocities, especially of civilian murders which make your blood run cold. And so for Ukrainians, no matter where they are, abroad or inside the country, it is a continuous rollercoaster of emotions.
The colors in the NFT photography series and the scenes themselves entail that wide range of feelings we experience: from hope for a better day to trying to forget about some unimaginable losses, from broken dreams to allowing ourselves to build plans and resume dreaming, from grieving for those who couldn’t escape the horror to picturing a bright future - an image quite hard to maintain in your head when you see the destruction around you.
By the way, in terms of style and execution, this project is like nothing I have done before, but the circumstances change and so do I. When designing the concept, I had some specific scenes in my mind, such as destroyed buildings or I hoped to find some tanks. I knew for sure that I would go to that bridge in Romanivka (between Irpin and Kyiv, in the piece “Bridge Uncrossed ''). However, seeing it all in real life was nothing close to the photos and it made me realize how important it is to keep telling the story to the audience abroad.
Them Frames: You’re both Ukrainian and Vietnamese. How have your two cultural backgrounds influenced who you are as a photographer?
Lina Chu: I would say that all my life I was trying to understand where I belong and how my origins influence who I am. I still find it hard to answer this question. I am a Vietnamese who was born in Ukraine and I have lived almost all my life in Ukraine. I would not say that my routes have influenced my photography, but rather the opposite. At the moment, I perceive myself more as a Ukrainian and I believe this is due to the fact that I have dedicated more time to exploring (photographing) Ukraine.I was a kid when I last visited Vietnam and I would love to travel there again in order to dive deeper into my routes, and discover that beautiful country, this time “through the eyes of a photographer”.
Them Frames: Finally, please finish this sentence. “I need photography in my life because…”
Lina Chu: I need photography in my life since this is how I explore life, build meaningful connections and then give back to the world, all with the help of my camera.
