- March 7, 2025
- 12:47 am
- Israel
On March 12, 2025, a cultural event will take place in Haifa, dedicated to the legacy of Taras Shevchenko and his influence on the formation of Ukrainian national identity.
The program includes a screening of the documentary about the art residency “On the Threshold. The Mystery of Will” and a Zoom meeting and online lecture by Svitlana Kulbashna on how the hidden meanings in Shevchenko’s poetry help interpret Ukraine’s modern struggle for freedom.
Date and Venue
- Date: March 12, 2025
- Venue: Cultural and Development Center for Ukrainian Refugees “We Are Together”, Haifa (Atzmaut, 62)
- Time: 18:30 – guest gathering, 19:00 – start
- Free admission
Register here: Sign up
Taras Shevchenko and Why This Event Is Dedicated to His Birthday
Taras Shevchenko (March 9, 1814 – March 10, 1861)
Ukrainian poet, writer, artist, thinker, and public figure, who played a key role in shaping Ukrainian national identity.
Shevchenko
- Authored 237 poems and poetic works, 235 of which were in Ukrainian.
- Wrote 11 prose works, including the drama “Nazar Stodolia”.
- One of the founders of the modern Ukrainian language and literature.
- Academician of the Imperial Academy of Arts.
- Member of the Kirill and Methodius Brotherhood, which advocated for Ukraine’s independence from the Russian Empire.
- A symbol of the Ukrainian struggle for freedom, whose works were banned in the Russian Empire and the USSR.
Shevchenko was born on March 9, 1814, in Kyiv Governorate (today’s Cherkasy region, Ukraine) and died on March 10, 1861, in Saint Petersburg. During these days, events are held worldwide in his memory and in recognition of his contribution to Ukrainian culture.
Shevchenko was inspired by the Dnieper Rapids, seeing in their power a symbol of Ukraine’s indomitable spirit. More than 150 years later, the art residency “On the Threshold. The Mystery of Will” was established at this very site to explore the impact of natural landscapes on Ukrainian culture and historical memory.
Art Residency “On the Threshold. The Mystery of Will”
What is it?
- A cultural and research residency established at the Dnieper Rapids in Svitlana Kulbashna’s Landscape Park.
- A place where Ukrainian artists explore the philosophical meanings in Shevchenko’s poetry.
- An attempt to revive Ukraine’s national identity through art and restore lost cultural meanings.
How and Why Was This Art Residency Created?
The Soviet regime systematically erased memories of Zaporizhzhia as a center of Ukrainian freedom for decades.
- The Dnieper Rapids were flooded to erase them from the map.
- Cossack settlements and historical landscapes were destroyed or renamed.
- In the Soviet interpretation, Zaporizhzhia was reduced to an image of “a Cossack serving Russia,” ignoring its significance as a symbol of independence.
Svitlana Kulbashna, studying the philosophy of Ukrainian culture, realized the necessity of creating a space for reinterpreting lost identity. Thus, in 2023, the art residency “On the Threshold. The Mystery of Will” was born.
Why the Dnieper Rapids?
- This is the birthplace of Ukrainian will, a symbol of Cossack independence.
- Here, Shevchenko realized Ukraine’s destiny and its struggle.
- The Soviet regime flooded the rapids to erase their memory.
The residency gathered Ukrainian artists who, over the course of two weeks, created visual representations of hidden meanings in Shevchenko’s poetry. Their works became part of the documentary film that will be screened at the event in Haifa.
Event Program
1. Screening of the Documentary on the Art Residency “On the Threshold. The Mystery of Will”
The film tells the story of how Ukrainian artists sought to visualize the hidden meanings in Shevchenko’s poetry through painting and the study of natural landscapes.
Main Themes of the Film:
- Why the Dnieper Rapids were important for Shevchenko and Ukrainian culture.
- How the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union tried to erase the memory of the Cossack past.
- How modern art helps revive national identity.
2. Zoom Meeting and Online Lecture by Svitlana Kulbashna: “Empty Research of Ukrainian Meanings”
Main Topics of the Lecture:
- Why Zaporizhzhia is the heart of Ukrainian will.
- How Russian empires tried to erase Ukrainian identity.
- Why art and culture are the main weapons against propaganda.
Quote from Svitlana Kulbashna:
“The war for meanings continues, and it is love for ‘one’s own’ – land, culture, history – that is the spear capable of overcoming the all-consuming imperial essence and its narratives.”
Why Will This Be Interesting Not Only for Ukrainians?
- Historical memory and the struggle for identity are universal topics affecting all nations that have experienced imperial oppression.
- How does art influence society? The film and lecture will show how culture becomes a weapon in the fight for freedom.
- Zaporizhzhia and the Dnieper Rapids – an important natural and historical phenomenon, interesting not only to Ukrainians but also to historians and ethnographers.
- Parallels with Jewish history – in Israel, many understand what it means to defend their culture and the memory of ancestors in the face of aggression and attempts to erase national identity.
Event Registration
- Discover Shevchenko through modern research.
- Watch a unique film about the Dnieper Rapids.
- Listen to Svitlana Kulbashna’s lecture on Zaporizhzhia’s role in Ukrainian identity.
- Participate in an online discussion.
Register here: Sign up
Conclusion
“On the Threshold. The Mystery of Will” is more than just a cultural event. It is an attempt to restore lost meanings, reconnect generations, and show that Ukraine’s history is a history of the struggle for freedom.
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