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The Event Series “Art and Culture in Times of War: Ukraine in Focus” Begins on 13 March 2025 at the Kulturforum

05.03.2025
Gemäldegalerie

The Gemäldegalerie (Old Master Paintings) invites visitors to the “Art and Culture in Times of War: Ukraine in Focus” special event series, accompanying the special exhibition “From Odesa to Berlin: European Painting of the 16th to 19th Century”. Participants may view the special exhibition gratis from 6 to 7 pm on event evenings.

Ukraine’s art and culture have been highly endangered since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against the country. Cities like Odesa ‒ a harbour metropolis steeped in tradition, whose historical centre is listed as World Cultural Heritage ‒ are repeatedly targeted by attacks. Cultural assets are under constant threat or have already been destroyed on a massive scale, resulting in a loss of artefacts of Ukrainian history and memory.

In lectures, readings and discussions, historians, art historians, and authors delve into quite divergent, often very personal perspectives on history, art and culture, and the threatening situation currently facing the country.

Programm

Die Veranstaltungen finden an vier Abenden, jeweils um 19 Uhr, im Kulturforum Berlin und in der Gemäldegalerie statt:

Thursday, 13 March 2025, 7 pm
Lecture: “Geschichte und Kultur der Hafenstadt Odesa” (History and Culture of the Harbour City Odesa) (in German)
Dr Boris Belge, historian of Eastern Europe, Basel
Kulturforum, lecture hall

Thursday, 3 April 2025, 7 pm 
Reading and Discussion: “Räume der Einsamkeit” (Isolated Spaces) (in German)
Kateryna Mishchenko, author, Berlin
Gemäldegalerie, Wandelhalle (lobby)

Thursday, 22 May 2025, 7 pm 
Lecture: “Kulturgutrettung in der Ukraine” (Saving Cultural Assets in Ukraine) (in German)
Prof. Dr Kilian Heck, art historian, Greifswald
Kulturforum, lecture hall

Thursday, 5 June 2025, 7 pm
Reading and Discussion: “Bilder aus Odesa: Über Kunst schreiben in Zeiten des Krieges” (Images from Odesa: Writing About Art in Wartime) (in German)
Volha Hapeyeva, Eva Menasse and Nadiia Telenchuk
Moderation: Sonja Longolius, Literaturhaus Berlin e.V.
Gemäldegalerie, Wandelhalle (lobby)

Free admission. Registration is recommended due to the limited number of participants.

Funding

The exhibition and the event series are supported by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.
The Ernst von Siemens Kunststiftung is supporting the exhibition venue in Heidelberg.