Abandoned Steps: Democracy in Decline
A visual elegy for democracy’s fading sound.
About the Project
Abandoned Steps is a photographic meditation on democracy, memory, and loss—seen through the eyes of Arkady Karpilovsky, a 94-year-old violinist from Odessa.Shot entirely in black and white, the book captures Kyiv’s fading architecture—ministries, monuments, and marble stairways—as metaphors for the erosion of civic life. Each image is paired with Arkady’s voice: poetic reflections written in the rhythm of his music.Published by Galleria Della Vita Press, this independent edition preserves both a century’s witness and a son’s tribute.
Watch Arkady Play
Music and silence are two sides of memory.Arkady’s violin performances bring to life the emotional undertones of Abandoned Steps. Each piece carries fragments of history—fragile, imperfect, and deeply human.
Get Your Copy
The digital collector’s edition includes the complete 40-page photographic essay in high-resolution black and white, plus two rare audio recordings of Arkady reading key passages.
About the Publisher
Galleria Della Vita Press is an independent art publisher based in Edmonton, Canada, founded to preserve voices that endure beyond time—artists, musicians, and thinkers whose work bridges generations.Each publication combines visual storytelling, literary craft, and cultural preservation.Abandoned Steps marks the imprint’s inaugural release.