Ukrainian sommeliers and winemakers mourn the loss of one of their country’s most influential visual chroniclers, Arsen Fedosenko, who was killed by a Russian bomb on the frontline of the conflict to protect Kharkiv. Fedosenko collaborated with many wineries and his images of country’s vineyards were published in Ukraine and elsewhere. The Russian invasion found him on a photographic assignment in the Mykolayiv region where he documented the harrowing destruction wrought by Russian shelling. His photo of a bottle of wine used to make a Molotov cocktail became a visual symbol of Ukrainian winemakers' resistance to the Russian invasion.
Changing perceptions
Shortly after that, Fedosenko joined the army as a military photographer, taking shots of battlefields and Ukrainian soldiers rather than vineyards and winemakers. In April 2023 he was promoted to the rank of captain. He was capturing the humanity of soldiers, paramedics, and the enduring spirit of his fellow countrymen.
Even in the battle-scarred landscapes of Bakhmut, Fedosenko kept smiling. As he poignantly expressed in his blog, “I want Ukrainians to be associated not only with war and pain, but with hard work, culture, and love of life.” During short vacations from army service, he engaged in a project called A Year in the Life of Odessa Black Vine’ capturing the seasonal rhythms of one of his country’s symbolic grape varieties.
Fedosenko is survived by his wife, Anna, and their two children. For those wishing to support his family, contributions can be made directly to her bank account.
Those wishing to help Ukrainian sommeliers on the front lines could donate to Anatoliy Khodakovsky, a former sommelier at Kyiv's Catch restaurant. The unit of 47th Brigade where Anatoliy serves fundraises for an electronic warfare tool to protect themselves from Russian kamikaze drones.
