Animation & Sound: Steen Andersen

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It has been an epic road trip from Odesa to Kyiv with a partner in crime @just_another_alter_ego. Still in the effect of beautiful people, we met, endless nature, architecture, and inspiring, unique culture. We’ll be posting our stories here on Die Dada Welt … travel zine page upcoming parts. Thank you, Ukraine. We couldn’t imagine experiencing this epic journey, especially during these difficult times. On that note “See you in August Kyiv” for further projects and a good time.

Photo & Text: Sila Yalazan

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The rave culture in Ukraine is massive and has visitors from all around the world. In May 2021 Die Dada Welt went to an amazing warehouse rave arranged by Povitrya // @povitrya_od in Odessa. Curious about the background of the Ukraine rave movement we had a chat with the Povitrya team.

“Initially, the rave movement in Ukraine originated in the late nineties. Specifically in Odessa, the rave movement was in high demand in 2004-2007. In 2010, the entire electronic scene in Ukraine fell into decay, sponsors left and large festivals disappeared. After the Revolution of Dignity and the Maidan protests, which took place in 2014-2015, people felt depressed and tried to look for new ways of self-expression. This is how a new era of the Ukrainian electronic scene was born, which quickly spread across the region.”

Povitrya started in 2017 with friendship and shared musical interests.

“In Odessa, nothing like the rave movement of today existed back then. We acted on the principle: if you want a cool rave, then take it and make it.”

In general, Povitrya have no problems with the authorities, since their events have a legal status. However, arranging large events in Ukraine, especially under Covid-19 is not without difficulties.

“Covid-19 seriously affected our plans for 2020. We suffered certain financial losses associated with the cancellation of our 3rd-anniversary event in April 2020. And our next event in late August 2020 was insanely difficult in terms of organization, but we did quite well. We are constantly consulting with the local authorities, so we understand the full degree of responsibility during the Covid-19.”

Today the rave scene in Ukraine is going through a renaissance having visitors from all over Europa.

“This is a fantastic time, everything happens with an insane speed and energy, which we celebrated together with all our foreign visitors. In our opinion, the potential of the rave scene in Ukraine is still huge. We must show our country to the whole world.”

Video: Bahadir Onder
Text: Steen Andersen

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Mary. Student. Kyiv.
@mrmrblunt

We spotted Mary outside Pinchuk Art Centre in Kyiv. Mary is originally from the city of Chernihiv in northern Ukraine, but studies graphic design in Kyiv. She loves going to galleries with friends and the many parties in Kyiv. Her favorite club is Kyrylivska 41 – known as the “mysterious” club because it doesn’t promote its parties to the general public, posts no signs outside its building, and has no name. People only know it for its street name. Since its opening in August 2020, it has with its star line-ups of top international DJs, queer-friendly approach, and respect for all types of visitors introduced new quality to the capital’s electronic music scene attracting local ravers to its industrial building in the city’s old Podil District. Unfortunately, Kyrylivska 41 was closed due to Covid-19 when we were exploring Kyiv, but it is a place we are going to check out in August when we return to this amazing city in Eastern Europe.

Photo: Sila Yalazan
Text: Steen Andersen

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Vlada. 21 years. Kyiv, Ukraine.

We spotted Vlada outside a small coffee shop opposite the A.V. Fomin Botanical Garden in Kyiv. Here she sits wrapped in a blanket and smokes cigarettes with a thoughtful smile. Her black and reddish-colored hair, pieced nose, and the “fake” and “reality” tattoos on each side of her face attract our attention. She speaks good English and opens up to us almost immediately.

“My Fake and Reality Tattoos is a comment on people’s hypocrisy, how they pretend to tell the truth to others, but in reality, they just become even more fake in doing so since it is their interpretation of the truth that they try to force onto other people.”

Vlada studied as a foreign language teacher in Odessa but left her studies because she believed they were the reason for her increasing depression. Thereafter she went to a therapist and was diagnosed with genetic depression. She shows us cigarette burns on her arms and scars on her legs.

However, she has one great passion in life that keeps her going.

“I want to be a tattoo master. I always have wanted to be that. When I told my mother, she, however, disapproved of it. She told me that all her friends would gossip about me and our family. So I left home and got a tattoo a place where everyone could see it.”

Today she has tattoos all over her body. They are made by different tattoo artists so she could have learned of their professional skills. She doesn’t communicate with her mother anymore.

“My mother still can’t accept it. She doesn’t understand that I want to use my life making tattoos. Going to university and studying language was something she could approve of, even though it made me sick. So now I live my life as I want, trying to save enough money to buy a tattoo machine so I can become a tattoo master.”

Besides being a tattoo artist, Vlada dreams about traveling to Canada. She likes mountains and nature.

“The problem is that I’m afraid of water, and that could be something of a problem in Canada,” she smiles and looks thoughtfully towards the traffic passing by the coffee shop.

Photo: Sila Yalazan

Text: Steen Andersen

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Location: A.V. Fomin Botanical Garden, Kyiv, Ukraine

The sleeping beauty: Sila Yalazan
Video, edit, poem: Steen Andersen

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Sergii Tkachenko. Bodybuilder. From Lviv.
@seregatkachenko89
@vikki_wellnessfitness

Strolling down the pedestrian street of Lviv in northern Ukraine we spotted Sergii Tkachenko and his friend walking with the dogs: Jack, Sky, and Persik. When Sergii saw our camera we did not even have to ask him what we wanted. He at once exclaimed with a smile: “You want to take a photo of me and the dogs? I’m all yours!” We asked him if he was used to people wanting to take photos of them, to which he replied: “We are the most famous in Lviv” Segrii is used to getting attention and posing in front of a camera since he is a Ukrainian Bodybuilder Champion 2018 and Vice World Bodybuilder Champion 2019. He is born in Lviv where his family still lives. The three dogs are his sister Viktoriia’s. She is a wellness fitness Elite Pro athlete.

Photo: Sila Yalazan
Text: Steen Andersen

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Flashback to dreamy and beautiful Lviv. This rustic building we stayed which must have many stories.

Photos & Text: Sila Yalazan

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Oleg Brovks. 23 years. From Uman in central Ukraine.
@brovko_oleg

We meet Oleg at the Flea Market in Nebesnoi Sotni Street in Uman where he was selling coffee from a small booth. He tries to save money so he can go to the EU and work in either Poland or the Czech Republic. He has calculated that it will cost him around 1.000 euros for a work visa, traveling expenses, insurance, and cost of living until he is properly settled. He doesn’t want to live in Ukraine and is not interested in Ukrainian girls since he believes many of them are too posh and just wants a husband with money that can buy them a house, a car, and luxury goods. Instead, he dreams of traveling and at some point buying a house somewhere in the EU and finding a nice independent girlfriend.

Photo: Sila Yalazan
Text: Steen Andersen

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