On 22-23 August, the Art Space in Exile association in Berlin will celebrate Ukraine's fourth Independence Day since the full-scale invasion. This year, the Ukrainian community is organising the VOLIAart festival. The event will bring together artists from various fields: theatre, visual arts, performance, dance, music, fashion, and literature. Participants want to reflect on what ‘independence’ means at a time when the war in Ukraine has been going on for over 11 years.
Through artworks, voices, and acts of resistance, we will ask ourselves: what does it mean to celebrate independence in the context of ongoing reality? What are its collective and personal dimensions, its daily struggle, defiance, endurance, faith, and hope?
The Art Space in Exile community has been based at the Hotel Continental in Berlin for three years, so during the event, all attendees are invited to join the community that Ukrainians have built during this time. It is a platform for reflection, the sharing of ideas and high-quality artistic products. The name of the festival also appeals to both ‘will’ and ‘freedom,’ as these meanings go hand in hand in Ukrainian.
The festival programme includes a solo performance by Ukrainian multidisciplinary artist Yevhen Bal, ‘Faust's Lesson,’ based on Goethe's work. Yevhen interprets ‘Faust’ through his personal experience of reading it as a teenager. He also tells the story of the numerous incarnations of Faust as a real person, a historical legend, Goethe's character, and Goethe himself.
Numerous musical, theatrical, literary and other events are also planned as part of the festival. In particular, VOLIA SHOWROOM is an exhibition space that will present unique, high-quality and innovative Ukrainian brands and start-ups at the intersection of fashion and art. These projects demonstrate the talent, creativity and resilience of Ukrainian entrepreneurs despite the ongoing war. Here, fashion will sound more like a statement, sometimes a protest or an invitation to reflect.
More details about the festival programme and all participants can be found on the website.