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Culture

The Hidden Canon: Discover Ukrainian literary classics

A Kyiv Independent project backed by the Ukrainian Institute

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The cover of “Naive My Love,” by Gunia Project, and “Pigeon and Dove” by Primachenko.
Culture

Inside Ukraine's world of naive art — and the Gunia aesthetic it inspired

by Kate Tsurkan

A cat's fur for a brush, crushed petals for paint, and an eye for beauty — as it turns out, that's all some Ukrainian artists needed to make some of the most distinctive paintings of the 20th century. "Naive My Love," a new coffee table book by French publisher Assouline in collaboration with Ukrainian fashion and design brand Gunia Project, celebrates the bold colors, imaginative motifs, and deeply personal visual language of Ukrainian naive and folk art. The book's visuals stand on their own

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No one's owning up to throttling Ukraine's military Starlink, and that's telling

Nearly 48 hours after Ukraine's Starshield terminals started mysteriously malfunctioning, nobody in Washington, nor at SpaceX, has taken responsibility for the apparent decision to hobble Ukrainian military communications. Starshield terminals — the militarized version of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet system — began losing connectivity as they approached a certain speed, causing havoc among Ukrainian drone units.   The unexpected restriction disrupted active military operations, includi

The Russian commentators living in Europe who justify Moscow's war against Ukraine

Latvia's decision last week to declare Russian-born journalist and blogger Leonid Ragozin persona non grata has drawn attention to a broader trend: Russians who once presented themselves as opponents of Vladimir Putin are now accused of echoing Kremlin narratives. Some now live in Europe, taking advantage of the freedom and security that their adopted countries provide to broadcast their views. Ironically, some of them blame the European Union for Russia’s war against Ukraine and most of the w

Yulia Latynina in an unnamed location, on Feb. 9, 2013.

Open letter to Trump from ex-Ukrainian President Yushchenko: Ukraine's desire for peace is not willingness to surrender

Mr. President, I write these words without diplomatic formulas or ceremonial language. I write simply, from one human being to another, and from one president to another — two men who understand that there are moments in history when decisions determine not only the fate of nations, but the fate of freedom itself. For Ukrainians, freedom is not an abstraction. It is not a slogan written into a political declaration. Freedom is in our blood. It comes to us through generations — from our Cossack

About Culture

Our reporting on literature, films, art, and traditions from Ukraine and the latest news on culture in Eastern Europe.

Ukrainian culture
Ukrainian culture has survived centuries of Russian attempts to appropriate Ukrainian art, silence Ukrainian artists, and erase the Ukrainian language. Modern Ukrainian writers, filmmakers, and musicians — some of whom are serving on the front lines — continue to develop Ukrainian culture and fight for Ukraine’s future.
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