Photographer and Kiev native sheds some light on life in one of Eastern Europe’s oldest cities, the history and how its impacting the new generation. Hanging out hypnotic techno rave, CXEMA, he met Nadia and Liza and was inspired to capture their zeitgeist spirit.

NM: Tell us more about yourself and your background?
DZ: My name is Dmytro, I’m from Kiev. I love the city where I’m from. After the Maidan revolution, everything that is happening there now is truly authentic. Revolution has changed us a lot and still is a massive influence.

NM: In which way?
DZ: Due to the political and economic atmosphere in the country people have changed a lot. Younger generation has now no boundaries in terms of their thinking and the way they perceive the world. This resonance has created a new wave of people that stand against all the preconceptions from the soviet past.

NM: You are a part of it, right?
DZ: Sure. I want to be there from the beginning until the very end.

NM: Seems like you have a big plan for Kiev.
DZ: I’m not sure about plans but I definitely will be spending there more time to take pictures. My goal is to discover more open-minded, real kids and through photography tell their stories, and ideas to the world.

NM: You spent your summer in Kiev and attended the much-talked-of party - CXEMA. Tell us more about it.
DZ: I can compare CXEMA to a scheme that leads you to the light. It’s like a plan that tells you how to get there. When you’re there, you feel that you’re closer to something special. It’s madness. You can meet and connect with some of the most interesting people you will ever meet. They are free, young, most of them do art, fashion, create their own music. Through the art that they do, through the clothing, the way they speak they showcase their personalities.

NM: You did a shooting with two girls from this party. What’s the story behind it?
DZ: I met them when I was hanging out at CXEMA. They were chatting with their friends and I approached one of the girls named Nadia and she then introduced me to Liza.

NM: Why them?
DZ: There was something about them and it took me just a couple of seconds to realise that. The way they talked, the way they were watching the people and the set, the way they were dressed up. They were quite modest, but mad at the same time. Their personalities are very bright. I think Nadia and Liza embody the current zeitgeist in Kiev.

NM: How would you describe it?
DZ: It’s changing now. I think the whole identity of Kiev in general is changing due to the many aspects influencing our country. We’re trying to build up a new identity, vision and I think we’re getting stronger. You have to go to Kiev to be able to see and feel it yourself.