The Museum of the History of Kyiv hosts the exhibition VOICES, which opened the multimedia space of the Museum of Civilian Voices of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation with an art installation by GOGOLFEST. Thanks to the effect of presence, the exhibition reveals the depth and power of Ukrainians' stories about the war.

The sound installation with five-channel surround sound for the exhibition was created by Yana Shliabanska, a Ukrainian composer and sound artist, author of contemporary academic music, music for theatre and dance performances, electroacoustic music and sound installations. Yana has created music for more than 30 projects presented in 15 countries and has won a number of prestigious awards.

"Work on the project began with an introduction to the Museum of Civilian Voices archive. I listened for hours - first to the video, then to the audio recordings of the voices. I work with sound, so I pay attention not only to what people say but also to how they do it. Many stories are difficult, especially those about the loss of loved ones. I noticed how people who are going through terrible things find something bright, certain support to continue their journey," says Yana.

While working on the sound installation for the exhibition VOICES, she came up with the idea of making a spatial texture-out of voices, with individual phrases "breaking through" the polyphony. In the end, these voices turn into a huge cloud that absorbs the listener.

"The cloud of voices is a very strong metaphor. Tons of stories have been recorded, and people are talking about their pain. There is so much of it that if you put all the stories together, the space will shake," says Yana.

She adds that for her, the voice is the most intimate reflection of the human soul. So it was very reverent and responsible to work with the voice.

The composer is convinced that it is very important for Ukrainians not only to create art projects about the war but also to be present in the European space, to tell foreigners about the events in Ukraine, and to be an ambassador of their country in a sense.

"It is a very important mission to be a carrier of Ukrainian culture, history, and stories about the war in our place. Attention to Ukraine is necessary now. In particular, we are doing projects through music to make Ukrainians more visible globally," Yana emphasises.

The VOICES exhibition is open to the public until 26 April 2024 at the Museum of the History of Kyiv at 7 Bohdana Khmelnytskoho Street.