Brekhunets: from propaganda to nostalgia

The installation is dedicated to the origins of Ukrainian radio and highlights the significant role radio has played in society, both in the past and today.

For many years, Ukrainian national radio was broadcast over wires. Small plastic receivers hung in every house, broadcasting from 6 a.m. until midnight. It played all day long, earning the nickname "brekhunets," meaning "chatterbox." However, there's another layer to the story behind this nickname.

During Soviet times, radio, like all media, was heavily used for propaganda. It was even mandatory to install a radio receiver in homes; if not, special inspectors could fine families for not having one. This is how radio became so widespread across the country.

Later, when Ukraine declared independence, this extensive network of radio devices proved useful, and native Ukrainian broadcasts took their place. These broadcasts were filled with simple content: congratulatory messages, interviews with new pop artists, evening fairytales for children, and various talk shows. These programs accompanied the carefree childhoods of those who today face the challenges of survival and genocide at the hands of Russia. Childhood memories from the early years of independent Ukraine now shape the future vision of the Ukrainian world, and all these memories are filled with the sounds and jingles of Ukrainian state radio.