Oleksandr Fraze-Frazenko
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Oleksandr Fraze-Frazenko (Ukrainian: Олександр Фразе-Фразенко; born 16 June 1989, Lviv) is a Ukrainian poet, filmmaker, author, photographer, translator, and musician. He is a co-founder of the OFF Laboratory production company and is known for his poetic documentaries about Ukrainian literary and artistic figures.[1]
Oleksandr Fraze-Frazenko was born on 16 June 1989 in Lviv, Ukraine.[2] He studied at the School of Joy (Школа радості) and later at the Lviv Humanitarian Gymnasium, before graduating from the Ukrainian Academy of Printing with a degree in editing and journalism.[3]
During the early years of the Russo-Ukrainian war, Fraze-Frazenko remained in Ukraine, active in cultural and volunteer initiatives. In January 2025, Ukrainian press reported that he left for the United States citing political pressure and threats.[4] He is currently a writer-in-residence at City of Asylum, Pittsburgh.[5]
Career
Film
Fraze-Frazenko works predominantly in documentary and experimental film.[6] His first feature film, Don’t Lie to Me, premiered in 2016 at the Wiz-Art Lviv International Short Film Festival.[7]
He is best known for poetic documentaries focusing on Ukrainian modernist poets, including Chubai (2014), The House on Seven Winds (2015), and An Aquarium in the Sea (2016).[8] Harvard professor George G. Grabowicz described An Aquarium in the Sea as “not just a documentary” but a work combining documentary and artistic vision.
Literature and Translation
Fraze-Frazenko has published several poetry collections and a novel Nothing is Under Control.
He also published a Ukrainian translation of Jim Morrison’s poetry — the first such translation.[9] Additionally, he has translated English Restoration poets, including John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester. Some of his film scripts have been published as books, such as An Aquarium in the Sea: The Complete Script and The House on Seven Winds: The Complete Script.[10]
Music and Art
Fraze-Frazenko’s music spans improvisation, indie rock, and experimental styles. His discography includes more than 100 albums.[11] He leads bands Fraze-Frazenko & The Happy Lovers and Ceramic Knives, which fuse Ukrainian poetry with rock instrumentation.[12] His photography and visual art have been exhibited internationally, with works in collections in Ukraine, the United States, Germany, and Canada.[13]