Very special issue of Fucking Young! magazine

For the very special issue of Fucking Young! magazine — Tales, dedicated to favourite fairytales, our inspiration and focus was Lesia Ukrainka and her Forest Song.

Not exactly a fairytale, but a poetic play that revives most protagonists of Ukrainian mythology. A story, where the wood folks, spirits, lake mermaids and people meet. A clash of the material and spiritual, the real and the supernatural. Something that in reality happens everyday.

For the shoot, fully produced in Ukraine, we cast models for some of the main character’s: Lukash, the young man, who falls in love with a forest nymph; Lisovik, the main spirit guarding the woods, etc. We brought in local wild flowers and plants and let chose hats to embody the story. The project also foresaw us creating a synops version of The Forest Song in English — an opportunity for the tale to find a new audience and life.

Lesia’s imagination has an impact on the imagination and culture of every Ukrainian to this day.
Including myself.