Brave Heart

14 August 2019

Resident Advisor ranks Brave! Factory among the 10 best festivals in the world, which is no mean feat given that this is only its iteration. This month the massive festival returns, and promises to be bigger and better than ever

Brave! Factory is the brainchild of Closer, the iconic underground club of the capital.

The near complete line-up of acts and events has already been announced and guarantees the opportunity to see both top DJs and new experimental artists. Of course, with such a multifarious format, the festival brings together interesting and versatile personalities. What’s On talks with the festival organisers about art, music and Closer, as well as their expectations and plans for this Brave!

Daria Shevtsova, curator of the art programme at Brave! Factory and Closer art centre, on the art element of the festival:

Within the visual programme of Brave! Factory Festival the artists rethink the territory of the Kyivmetrobud factory to create site- specific works. However, this year the projects will include performative aspects and participatory installations, immersive video spaces and objects that redefine the medium. Therefore, some of the artists will put the viewer in an active position by creating a specific situation in which a person should decide whether to participate or to observe. Several works will include research on the history of industrial sites which are being partly revitalised by the festival and discover the ecological and cultural circumstances of such interference. And, of course, as in previous years, we are planning to invite foreign artists to present their works. But we’re going to keep secret just who for a short while yet.

Kate Shilonosova (aka ГШ/Glintshake) on contemporary art, Kyiv, and her expectations for the festival:

To be honest I feel pretty insecure about any kind of art. I question everything and at the moment it seems that the only possible way of accepting any information is via my subjective emotional evaluation, which may not meet the generally accepted notions of coolness and what constitutes a masterpiece. This means I am interested in everything, since I am a very curious person. But at the same time, everything can instantly change with the snap of a finger, depending on my inner emotional state and perception of the world at the time.

Glintshake played at the Hedonism festival at UBK a year ago – the weather was so nice after the city was awash with rain. I expect something as special as it was then. Plus, Poexxxali is also playing at Brave! this year, so it’s gonna be the coolest combo of my favourite people in one place.

Vadym Mykolaienko (aka Yuriy Yarovoy), barman at Closer, about the origins of the project:

I joined the team almost from the very beginning of the project, when probably none of the organisers had any idea the result would be what we have now. Thinking back on this path is extremely exciting: it was only about a week before the second

Closer party, which was organised by Timur, Vel, Vova KLK, Jack, and Sasha Neo (organiser of Mezzanine).

There have been many changes since that initial event, but all ewsulted in the Closer we have today.

One important change is the people. It is no longer a narrow circle of 100-150 people, but much larger. Closer fans and participants are interesting people who have a lot in common: it makes Closer a harmonious environment and at the same time diverse and multifaceted. Changes are happening all the time. This is probably the main reason for the success of the project; constant change, to do something new and to improve what has already been done.

A few to watch out for in the festival Line-up:

Alina Pash Live (Ua)
Anthony Rother Live (De)Ata Kak Live (Gh)
Chillera Live (Ua)
Clasps Live (Ua)
Deerhoof Live (Us)
Dubfire (Us)
Igor Glushko (Ua)
Jana Woodstock (Ua)
Jeroen Search Live (Nl)
Marcel Dettmann (De)
Neil Landstrumm Live (Uk)
Pender Street Steppers (Ca)
Poexxxali Live (Ru)
Radiant Futur Live (Ua)
Raphaël Top-Secret (Fr)
Se62 (Ua)
Serge Jazzmate (Ua)
Solar (Us)
Splinter Ua Live (Ua)
Voin Oruwu Live (Ua)
When Saints Go Machine
Live (Dn)
Zenker Brothers (De)
Вагоновожатые Live (Ua)
Гш/Glintshake Live (Ru)Acid Jordan Live (Ua)
Anna Haleta (Is)
Bryozone Live (Ua)
Carlos Souffront (Us)
Detroit In Effect Live (Us)
Disco Ma Non Troppo (Uk)
Don’t Dj Live (De)
Dop Live (Fr)
Evan Baggs (De)
Jane Fitz & Carl H (Uk)
Karine (Ua)
Muscut Plays Records (Ua)Mykyta (Ua)
Noizar (Ua)
O’fourtyfour Live (Ua)
Oskar Offermann & Edward (De)
Ponura (Ua)
Prutkin (Ua)
Red Axes Live (Is)
Rhadoo (Ro)
Roman K (Ua)
Shakolin (Ua)
Tight Soundsystem (Ua)
Trippsy (Ua)
Yone-Ko B2b Timur Basha (Ua)