Ukrainian artist Yuriy Gurzhy turns war's chaos into books, music, and hope
Ukrainian musician Yuriy Gurzhy has continued his creative work despite the ongoing war, blending music, storytelling, and mentorship. His latest projects include a new book, a mini-album, and a winter workshop for children displaced by conflict. Many of his friends, however, remain in Kharkiv, enduring daily bombardments and harsh conditions.
Gurzhy's new book, An Aquarium Full of Keys, pairs his father's old photographs of Kharkiv with his own witty, personal stories about the city. The release came as the war reshaped his hometown—once bustling, now marked by empty streets, power cuts, and near-daily explosions. He witnessed one such blast shortly after the book's publication, feeling its force and the deafening roar firsthand.
His artistic partnership with poet Serhiy Zhadan deepened after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Together, they turned pre-war collaborations into wartime performances, merging music, poetry, and theatre to document the conflict. Works like Schostyj Psalom (2023), a psalm-inspired piece premiered in Kharkiv amid bombings, and Nova Symfonia Donbasu (2024), a symphony reflecting Donbas's destruction, have toured war zones and global stages. These projects aim to preserve Ukrainian identity and lift morale in areas like Kharkiv and Donbas.
In mid-January, Gurzhy mentored children from eastern Ukraine at a workshop in the Carpathian Mountains. Organised by Art Therapy Force, the sessions involved songwriting and one-on-one work, even as freezing temperatures and power outages plunged conditions to minus 10 degrees Celsius. The children, despite their wartime experiences, wrote songs about their cities, friendships, and the sun.
This wasn't his first project with young people from frontline areas. In late 2020, he helped record Nova Symfonia Donbasu, an album featuring children's voices. Many of his peers, like Zhadan, have chosen to stay in Kharkiv—some out of principle, others to care for sick or elderly relatives.
Gurzhy's work now spans books, albums, and mentorship, all shaped by the war's realities. His collaborations with Zhadan and projects with displaced children highlight the role of art in resistance and recovery. Meanwhile, Kharkiv's remaining residents face relentless attacks, power shortages, and a city transformed by conflict.
Read also:
- Ignorant Youth Unfamiliar with Quebec's Cultural Landscape
- PCOS-related Gas Buildup: Explanation, Control Strategies, and Further Insights
- Astral Lore and Celestial Arrangements: Defining Terms & In-Depth Insights - Historical Accounts & Glossary of Cosmic Mythology
- "Rural Idyls with Supercars: Astonishing Sites Where Residents Cruise McLarens and Ferraris for Groceries"
