On February 25, we mark 138 years since the birth of Les Kurbas — a visionary who transformed Ukrainian theater and left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape of our nation.
Kharkiv understands the power of words, ideas, and art. Here, modern Ukrainian culture was shaped, intellectual boldness emerged, and a theatrical revolution was born. Among those at its forefront was Les Kurbas — a director, thinker, and innovator whose contribution to Ukrainian theater is immeasurable.
His Berezil Theater, which moved to Kharkiv in 1926, challenged traditional artistic norms. Thanks to Kurbas, Ukrainian stage art became more European, introducing audiences to new themes, characters, and techniques. He urged artists to break free from creative limitations and fearlessly bring their artistic explorations to the world.
This cultural renewal was violently halted in 1937, when Kurbas and his like-minded generation of Ukrainian artists were brutally repressed in what is now known as the Executed Renaissance.
Today, we continue his mission — discovering new meanings and establishing Ukraine as a center of culture and intellectual thought.
Karazin University honors the memory of Les Kurbas — a genius who taught not only how to see theater but also how to think through it. His legacy lives on in all those who seek the new, who dare to erase boundaries, and who create the future.
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