Artist in Exile: Olena Boryshpolets’ “Bride”
October 20 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm EDT
City of Asylum presents the premiere of the musical-poetic performance Bride.
“Writing the poem Bride was a logical continuation of exploration of the feminine principle, the role of the modern woman in society, her strength and powerlessness, and her potential spheres of influence on the world’s disheartening events. The poem Bride will allow the reader to see the world through the eyes of others and understand motivations different from their own. The events of the poem will serve as a kind of archive and, in a way, a mirror of human decisions and their consequences. A mirror that not only provokes but also forces reflection.” – Olena Boryshpolets
Olena Boryshpolets: poem author, performance director
Jake Grefenstette: editor
Marta Krechkovsky: violin
About the Author:
Olena Boryshpolets is originally from Odesa, Ukraine. They say you can leave Odesa, but Odesa will never leave you. Thus, Olena brought Odesa with her when she came to Pittsburgh and is ready to share this incredible city with all of us. Olena is a poet, writer, journalist, actress, cultural manager, and author of the short story book Ukrainian Detox, the book of poetry Orpheus and Eurydice in New York, and the long-form poem New Calypso. Olena is also a member of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, a co-founder of the public organization Creativity Without Borders, and a member of PEN America. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Olena traveled to Poland, where she spent a year acting in the Polish-Ukrainian play Life in Case of War. Olena is currently a Research Scholar at Chatham University and was a Research Scholar at the University of Pittsburgh from 2023 to 2026, and has been a Writer-in-Residence at the City of Asylum Fellowship for Ukrainian Writers since 2023.
About the Reading Artists:
Elijah Russell (he/him) is a senior at Chatham University studying for a BFA in Creative Writing with a minor in Art History. He primarily writes fiction and poetry, and hopes to pursue an MFA in Creative Writing. When avoiding his writing projects, he indulges in his many crafting hobbies, YouTube, or bothering his very old cat.
Remmy Goyette (they/them) is a senior at Chatham University double-majoring in English Literature and Policy Studies. They hope to attend grad school next year studying English, with a focus in Modern American Literature. When they aren’t reading or writing, you can probably find them quilting or spending time with their cat.
Maya Walker studies Creative Writing, Cultural Studies, Spanish, and Latin American Studies at Chatham University. You can find her in the nowhere land between her hometown of Baltimore and new home of Pittsburgh or anywhere with a book in hand.
About Your Visit:
The in-house restaurant, Cucina Alfabeto, is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
