UKRAINE, KHARKIV, Sep. 29 — At the entrance of the yard of Druk, a cultural space, stands a large white banner with a small inscription: “Borders are conditional — art is unlimited.”
“Here you go,” one of the organizers hands me a marker and points to the banner.
“Can I draw on it?” I ask.
“You have to!”
Throughout the day, the banner is filled with inscriptions and drawings from visitors to Walls&Minds, an event that introduces Kharkiv locals to street art culture.
I look at the elements of drawings spread across the banner.
Artists, organizers, and participants of the event say that this is the basis of street art: filling the emptiness, going beyond the boundaries, creating something new.
“I am very happy when new art appears on the streets. Especially during Russia’s full-scale invasion. I believe it’s important for people to express their opinions and respond to social changes,” says Iryna Vodolazhchenko, an artist.
Here, Vodolazhchenko holds a street art workshop. There, guests learn about techniques and basic materials for painting on the walls, creating large-format works and individual boards.
“I wanted to understand how it works. I used to be able to paint with a spray can, but I didn’t know how to do it correctly and structurally,” says Jay, a soldier who visited the festival.
Painting with a spray can is not as easy as it might seem. Vodolazhchenko demonstrates the ritual of preparing for painting: shake the can; listen to the sound of the ball inside hitting the metal walls; let some air out of the can.
The strong smell of paint spreads through the air. The organizers suggest wearing respirators.
Vodolazhchenko explains the process’s details: how to direct the spray, how paint will “behave” on the surface. Everyone tries to make their first strokes.
For some, the paint spills down the wall, but that’s okay, Vodolazhenko says. You just need to put a little distance between the spray can and the surface you’re trying to make art on.
“Only three of the participants had experience drawing. The rest were doing it for the first time,” says Vodolazhchenko.
After the workshop, people were asked to share their reflections on what they had just been doing. Many shared that they felt inspired, happy, or free.
“I believe my task is accomplished,” says Vodolazhchenko.
Inside Druk, organizers planned an educational program. Borys Biosov, a Ukrainian graffity writer (Bios), gives a talk about his way of marking the urban spaces.
It’s a special component of street art, Biosov. This genre was born in poor districts, where locals painted trains that connected them to other parts of the city. As for now, the writer calls graffiti an indicator of a city’s modernity.
“When we talk about street art, we mean the artist’s communication with people outdoors. Graffiti is about its author. It is based on letters, words, or, most often, the author’s name, the so-called tag,” says Biosov.
Organizers invite everyone to write their own message on a banner at the entrance. Now it’s time to feel like a tagger.
Then, guests solve a quiz on the history of street art and watch the film Warning! Life goes on. It’s about Izium, the city in the eastern part of the Kharkiv oblast, and the Kharkiv street artist Hamlet.
Iryna, one of the festival guests, shares that, while her work is not related to art, she really likes the works of Banksy and Hamlet. She came to Walls&Minds to learn more about their activities from the inside.
“I think street art is very much needed right now. It brings art closer to people and allows artists to highlight global issues,” says Iryna.
I enter this space and hear an air raid alert — a threat of attack drones.
“Don’t worry, this cultural space serves as a shelter, so, in case of danger, we can continue the festival. We will be safe,” says project manager Anastasia.
She also says that nearly 70 people registered for the festival, which is a pretty good result. “Usually, there are fewer. This time we got a lot of people.”
In the evening, everyone enjoys an afterparty where the Sherkhit music community plays.
While the DJ is setting up the equipment, visitors paint some more — until the paint runs out and the sun finally sets behind the horizon. The yard is again filled with the smell of paint and the sound of spray cans being shaken.
The organizers allow participants to paint on specific parts of the building. Some hurry to try themselves as real street artists. Others replace spray cans with cold cider and talk about the intense day they’ve had.
“Did your expectations come true?” I ask Anastasia after the official part is over.
“More than I wanted,” she points to visitors’ drawings.
As Biosov notes during his lecture, “walls are like a place for conversation between artists to share their thoughts.”
The theory is confirmed by practice: all minds present are marked on the walls.
Hello! It’s Elza, the author of this article. Thank you for your interest in our stories about cultural life in Kharkiv. We will continue to share stories from our city and the region with you. Please consider supporting our newsroom on BMC and/or Patreon to keep us going.
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