Her series of photos entitled Wounded Souls won praise in the "Minimalist Photography – Portraits" category.
The portraits were taken during Bilan-Stoch’s trips to provide aid to war-torn Ukraine.
As she writes in her notes to her NY Photo Awards entry: "Each photograph captures a moment in which the thousand-yard stare reveals emotional and psychological scars – a testament to the pain endured, the hardships of war, and, at times, the cruelty of captivity. The eyes of these heroes express both pain and emptiness, while simultaneously reflecting an indomitable, (super)human will to survive that defies the boundaries of imagination."
Bilan-Stoch adds that some of their stories "inspire admiration and teach humility," and mentions "the youngest soldier in the battalion – an only child who, against his parents' will, joined the army, showing maturity beyond his years."
She continues: "A combat medic who, despite losing a significant amount of weight, endured brutal torture during nearly a year in captivity. A BMP-2 gunner who survived two years of fighting in the most intense front-line combat zones, leaving behind the nobler sides of human nature and becoming a mental support for many. And, finally, a Hero of Ukraine – the commander of the heroic defense of Mariupol and Azovstal, a living symbol of unwavering determination and composure in the most hopeless of situations."
Bilan-Stoch, 39, was among those who offered support to Ukrainian refugees in Poland as well as travelling to Ukraine with emergency aid from the start of the Russian invasion.
She is the wife of Kamil Stoch, one of the most successful ski jumpers of all-time, with three gold medals at the Winter Olympics and two World Cup titles to his name.
(mk/gs)