More Than Words

Valerie Chew

David Gillanders’ ‘Homeless Children of Ukraine’ spoke out to me most. The black and white colors set the tone of the bleak lives of the children. The strong facial expressions of pain and the scenes of children crowding in sewers and injecting each other with drugs spell the harsh conditions they were in. The picture of TB-ridden Vova in a cot was especially provoking. I like how the angle of the picture showed the baby behind the mesh. The netted crib was a trap both literally and metaphorically -- one that the child cannot get out of. It illustrated the helplessness of children abandoned by their families. With outstanding photography, emotions and circumstances are captured in a way that words alone cannot do justice.