We recently connected with Viktoria Chikalo and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Viktoria, thanks for joining us today. Can you tell us a story about a time you failed?

Yes, I have. But first of all I want to say that my journey is on the one hand with many failures and losses and on the other it is very diverse, full of changes and adventures that lead me to who I am today. The failures that once seemed catastrophic have brought to me the most wisdom, understanding, compassion and new meaning to my life. They taught me more than any success did. It grew into a sense of curiosity to know what really matters in life. This search transforms me and my journey into photography. I am deeply convinced that the value of art is the experience and inner growth of the artist himself and their capacity to be true. I think we learn this most through failures. When we lose something important to us, the question arises, what are we left with?

I would like to share a story of a time when everything that was happening to me seemed like one big failure and at the same time became an opportunity to define my path and the place where I belong.

I remember the feeling of losing something important inside me. I no longer felt that passion, that meaning and that joy in my relationship, in my friendship, in my work and in life in general. And the worst of all, I didn’t have a sense of home. It certainly didn’t happen overnight. It’s a consequence of events and circumstances in my life and a high price I paid for suppressing myself wanting to be liked and accepted by others. I lost myself. I felt lonely even though there were people around. It was a time for many years of pain and truth as well, understanding what really happened and where is that source of joy I lost. Going through this period of my life, I found photography as a source of a sense of presence and beauty of life I can express. For me, it has been a way to be fully involved in the moment. This is a time of real creation and playfulness with life where I feel that ‘I am’, completely who I am. Also my curiosity about human nature, mental health and spirituality has grown and ran very closely with photography. It planted the seeds of true passion, meaning, and hope in my life.

The more I discovered my true values, the more I understood that there was no space around me for them to be fully expressed and accepted. Then came a complex and very transformative time of changes. Divorce after 13 years of marriage has certainly become one of the key ones. Loss of most friendships. Changes in work. Time alone. Although I already had some capacity to see the hidden structure and meaning in what happened, it was still a really hard time. Then, eight months later, Ukraine was rocked by the war. I don’t even know how to describe that period. There are no words to convey what happens when everything breaks down at one moment into one wish to live.

Supporting refugee women from eastern Ukraine in my rented flat, I decided to take a step that at the time I felt was right and necessary for my own well-being. I left Ukraine on 1 March 2022 with a small suitcase and a backpack with my camera. I went to Warsaw, then to Oslo and after a few months to London, where I have been living for two years. I have had an extraordinary experience. I saw humanity in support, compassion and vulnerability as well. I met new friends and new stories. I got valuable lessons and opportunities for growth. I appreciate it all. I want to finish it with this quote that my friend Gro sent me when I lived with her in Oslo, and today it reflects my long-term project about sense of home, people and places, migration, identity and the importance of true connection: “There are places you haven’t been where you already belong.”

Viktoria, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am an Ukrainian born, London-based photographer and visual artist. I work in portrait, documentary and fine art photography. I studied Geography at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv in Ukraine. My previous work experience includes hr, marketing & communication, graphic design, and creative directing.

My path to photography began 5 years ago when I was going through a complex personal transformation. As I mentioned in the story of failure, actually it became the opportunity that shaped my path and who I am today. I came to photography as a self-taught photographer, who uses intuition, sensitivity and natural light in the process of creating images. But I also have to say that in some sense photography has been with me all my life. Since childhood, I saw how my father did it. He just loved it. I remember the dark room in our home where this magical process appeared. I also remember that my greatest passion as a child was looking at magazines and creating images and stories in my imagination. I am grateful for all my past experience and the opportunities I had there. With time when I realised that photography has become meaningful to me I worked as a marketer in the fashion industry. I often worked as creative director on set. Then I had a great chance to show my passion as a photographer. It’s interesting, but for a short time my images were published in advertising campaigns, and featured on posters. This was the beginning of my career as a fashion photographer.
Then I experimented a lot with different styles and approaches. Later I realised that what really fascinates me the most is the portrait and human-centric approach. I think the war in Ukraine and the move to London influenced my photography the most. In 2022 I held the first exhibition of my own project at ‘Roseslottet outdoor Art Museum’ in Oslo, telling sensitive stories addressing women and their experience of the war in Ukraine.

I have got a great experience in London in the last two years that I have been living here. I feel gratitude for all of that. I have worked in collaboration with interesting personalities including Susannah Harker, Kevin McNally, Phyllis Logan, Jo Brand, Luke Newberry, Niall Buggy, Rachel McNally, Aldo Zilli, etc. My work has been featured in the UK and international media including, British Journal of Photography, Bluecoat Press, British news media, JCDecaux, ELLE China etc. I very appreciate this unexpected meeting, collaboration and friendship with Susannah Harker, which in some way also influenced my journey in photography. But I am actually grateful for many connections that extend my perception of myself, others and photography in general.

I think one of the biggest achievements of this year is that my image of an English comedian, Jo Brand, was selected as a winning image of the Portrait of Britain Award. In January 2024 the image was exhibited nationally as part of the UK’s biggest annual exhibition by the British Journal of Photography, and was featured in the Portrait of Britain book Vol 6. This work tells a story of ‘vulnerability’.

Today I have a clear vision of my own path in photography and visual art. Of course, something can change along the way because we are constantly evolving and new challenges open new possibilities for growth. But my purpose and passion lead me in the direction of photography that tells stories of light and shadow of humanity, and this imperfection can be a source of inspiration and curiosity to live. The basis of my exploring remains portrait, documentary and fine art photography. As I mentioned before, I am also working on a long-term project that is personal to me, but related to many of us in the contemporary world. It is about the sense of home, people and places, migration, identity and belonging. In the future, I would like to exhibit this project for a wider audience.

If you asked me what a portrait means for me, I would say that it’s a mirror of the soul. And it’s so beautiful.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I think every challenge, defeat, and loss I shared in the story of failure was a potential opportunity for growth and resilience. I would like to share what I learned from my experience and what helps me to be more resilient now.

First of all, this is permission to be human and open your heart. It’s giving yourself a gift to be real and to meet those with whom you can share your true feelings. Allowing yourself to be vulnerable teaches me to love again, to be curious and to grow. Asking for help when needed is about showing strength and wisdom. I think it’s really important to be grateful. This is the ability to accept what it is and to see beyond. True joy in the present moment is an appreciation of life. I also learn to perceive pain as a time for telling the truth. It allows me to understand that I can have pain but I also can have joy and feel whole. I like meditation. It really helps me to find connection with myself and increase my awareness. My grandmother always said movement is life. I agree with that. It is from daily exercise to small steady steps towards a goal. Today my wallpaper on my phone screen is “ Just take this step. The horizon will look after itself” from the lovely book “The boy, the mole, the fox and the horse” Charlie Mackey. I think self-compassion is also very important to all of us. It is the art of forgiveness, understanding and accepting yourself with all that is and the intention to grow. Curiosity and compassion allow me to forgive others. It does not mean that I agree with that, but it allows me to understand more and liberate myself. Responsibility, determination and clarity to make choices. Looking for inspiration inside and outside. And staying true to yourself despite failure or success helps to keep self-respect and dignity.

I don’t remember who said it “When the things are hopeless yet be determined to make them otherwise”.

I also like this one from artist and writer Topher Kearby

“The secret to life is that you can change. You can wake up tomorrow and decide to move in a different direction with your life. You can sign up to take classes, quit your job, start a business, seek out love, paint, run, dream, dance, or whatever you want.

But it doesn’t mean it will be easy, and that doesn’t mean it will all work out with a happy ending.

It just means that it is possible. And that possibility is magic.”

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me being an artist means simply being yourself. To be fully present in life with a sense of meaning, beauty and true joy. This is a feeling that I am involved in something important to me. Essentially, even if no one sees it, even if I worked all day on that image, project, story, and then I decided to change everything, I still lived that day fully present. I tried to make it. It means that I was true to myself. Being an artist it is also about freedom to act and speak what you want. And it requires a lot of responsibility and discipline. Being an artist for me is to love what you do. You can’t be an artist and wear a mask.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.behance.net/viktoriachikalo
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoriachikalo
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/viktoria-chikalo-4b6193138/
• Other: https://viktoriachikalo.myportfolio.com

Image Credits

1-3 Jo Brand, London
4 Susannah Harker, London
6 Niall Buggy. Joy. London
7 Luke Newberry, London