Photography as Protest: A Call for Action

Long before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, British photographer Mark Neville was already using his work as a form of resistance. His self-funded book, Stop Tanks With Books, was not just an artistic statement but an urgent plea for international support against Russian aggression. Knowing Ukraine needed the backing of the West to repel invasion, Neville sought to weaponize photography and literature, targeting diplomats, politicians, and decision-makers with 750 free copies of his book—a visual and narrative testimony to Ukraine’s struggle for independence.

Now, six powerful images from the book are on display at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in London, confronting every visitor—including dignitaries, politicians, and international diplomats—with the human toll of war.

From the V&A to the Foreign Office

Following the success of the Ukraine in Focus exhibition at the V&A, the FCDO invited Neville to present the same six large-format, framed photographs in the lobby of its King Charles Street offices.

The images, taken over five years in Ukraine, document the resilience of its people in the face of prolonged conflict. Some portraits, taken before Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, already bear the marks of war and displacement from the earlier invasion of Donbas and Crimea in 2014. Others are chilling reminders of the war’s escalating brutality.

One photograph shows a group of children in a choir, many of whom had already been displaced by the war in Donbas years earlier. Another features a Ukrainian farmer who survived Russian imprisonment in 2015, only to be shot dead in his home in Zhytomyr in 2022. Meanwhile, an image of holidaymakers picnicking in Odesa speaks to the eerie normalcy of life lived under the looming shadow of war.

A Book as a Weapon Against War

Stop Tanks With Books was six years in the making, combining Neville’s photography with:

• Short stories by Ukrainian writer Lyuba Yakimchuk about Russian occupation in 2014

• Research from ZOiS, highlighting the 2.5 million Ukrainians displaced by war as early as 2018

• A direct call to action, urging international leaders to recognize Ukraine’s struggle and take meaningful steps to support its sovereignty

By October 2021, sensing that full-scale war was imminent, Neville rushed to complete and distribute the book. Working with Nazraeli Press, he established book distribution hubs in London, Paris, Berlin, Brussels, and New York, ensuring that the 750 copies reached politicians, peace negotiators, NATO and EU officials, and global influencers. Just four days before the Russian invasion, the first 200 books were delivered.

Photography as Humanitarian Aid

Neville’s commitment to Ukraine extends far beyond documentation. Since 2020, he has been living in Kyiv, where he founded Postcode Ukraine, a hybrid humanitarian aid and documentary photography project. The initiative, funded in part by collectors Bill and Judy Bollinger—two of the few recipients of Stop Tanks With Books who directly asked how they could help—has since raised over $200,000 in aid, supporting medicine, food deliveries, evacuation, education, and reconstruction efforts.

But Neville’s mission is not just about physical aid—it is also about ensuring Ukraine remains visible to the world. In an era of compassion fatigue, where war often becomes a background narrative, he believes that art and photography are essential in re-engaging Western audiences.

A Message from Mark Neville, February 2023

"I write these words sitting at home in darkness. The current power cut has already lasted ten hours today. I am a British artist living and working in Kyiv, Ukraine. I have never regretted moving here, despite the war, such is my love for this country and its people."

"Making and disseminating Stop Tanks With Books was my attempt to fight Russian aggression. The book interweaves my photographs, Lyuba Yakimchuk’s incredible short stories about life in Russian-occupied Donbas, and ZOiS’s research, aiming not just to provoke empathy but to provide a clearer understanding of this brave, kind, and misrepresented nation."

"From the moment I conceived this project in 2015, my goal was twofold: first, to rally international support for Ukraine, to help end Russian aggression in Donbas, and to call for the withdrawal of Russia from Crimea. Second, to combat the Kremlin’s vast network of fake news and disinformation, which Western media often perpetuated unchecked. That’s why I sent out Stop Tanks With Books to those with the power to help."

"By October 2021, knowing war was imminent, I worked non-stop to complete and distribute the book. Friends and colleagues helped me build VIP recipient lists and physically deliver copies. Four days before the full-scale Russian invasion, we had succeeded in sending out 200 copies. The remaining copies were sent out as the war began."

"Then, unexpectedly, art collectors Bill and Judy Bollinger—recipients of my book—reached out and asked, ‘What can we do to help?’ Of all the politicians, celebrities, and world leaders who received the book, they were the only ones to offer real support. From that, Postcode Ukraine was born, providing humanitarian aid to those in need."

"But our mission is not only about delivering aid. We also realized that it was just as essential to create new, resonant images that keep the war in Ukraine visible to the world. The exhibition at the Foreign Office places my work in front of those who make international policy decisions—reminding them, daily, of the human cost of war."

"The war is far from over. Ukraine still fights, and by helping Ukraine, we help ourselves."

Acquiring Mark Neville’s Work

To coincide with this exhibition, a limited-edition, archival print from Stop Tanks With Books is now available for acquisition for the first time. Purchasing Neville’s work is not just an endorsement of his artistic vision—it is an investment in his lifelong commitment to socially engaged photography.

By supporting his work, collectors and institutions contribute directly to his mission of using photography as a tool for advocacy and humanitarian aid, ensuring that Ukraine’s fight for survival is seen, heard, and never forgotten.

Mark Neville: Stop Tanks With Books is on view at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, London, from November 2022 to Summer 2023.