Donbass Chocolate 1997

Arsen Savadov’s “Donbass Chocolate” (1997) is a striking black-and-white photograph that portrays a somber scene. The photograph captures a group of miners in a dimly lit setting, with one miner prominently featured in the foreground. He wears a gas mask, his face obscured by grime, and he kneels with a skull resting on a fringed cushion in his lap. The image uses a combination of stark contrasts, including the dark mine setting and the skull's stark white, to highlight the miners' harsh working conditions and the potential for danger. This image, created by Ukrainian artist Arsen Savadov, is a powerful commentary on the struggles faced by those working in the Donbass region.