“You can’t imagine what it’s like when there’s only sky and water around you. In that moment, you are alone but feel connected to something so powerful. It’s an amazing feeling of freedom.”*
The sea helps you rediscover yourself. Its waves give you movement, space, and a feeling of openness. A special kind of energy is born here: the rhythm of the water brings together peace and power, quiet and energy. It helps you focus on the present moment, free your mind from heavy thoughts, and feel alive again. Because only by leaving the shore can we find new horizons.
This exhibition is about those horizons—about what people discover about themselves when they go to sea. Our heroes, the defenders of Ukraine, go out into the open sea to feel that endless space and their inner strength again. Everyone has their own journey. Some find themselves by connecting and talking with the team, others by quietly watching the elements. But together, we form a crew where the strength of each person becomes part of one shared sail.
As the American writer Herman Melville wrote in Moby-Dick, “Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul… then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can.” These photos show that same endless space, where these titans go to sea to find themselves again and discover new possibilities within.
*Quote by John Lennon from “There’s No Place Like Nowhere” by Brian R. San Souci // Rhode Island Monthly. — May 20, 2010.
“Titans Under Sails” is a non-governmental organization that offers Ukrainian defenders — especially those who have lost limbs — the chance for physical and psychological rehabilitation through sailing adventures. By the day of the photo exhibition opening, we had already organized two rehabilitation sailing voyages around the Canary and Greek islands. We believe the sea is a space of freedom, where everyone can rediscover their balance, strength, and confidence.