October 1, 2025 | Theatre,

A Spotlight on Irina Kruzhilina and Visual Echo

When SpaceBridge arrives on the ArtsEmerson stage this November, audiences will step into a world crafted by Irina Kruzhilina. She’s the founder of Visual Echo, a performance collective established to create at the intersection of art, politics, and humanity.

But what does that really mean?

Well, the name Visual Echo itself represents Irina’s belief that art can last beyond the stage, reverberating in the minds’ of an audience long after the curtain closes. Sometimes the impression left cannot be put into words, yet over time, can change a person’s perspective, opening them up to new narratives or emotions.

Kruzhilina uses many methods to achieve this. Born in Russia and based in New York, she holds international acclaim as a designer, director, and curator. Her work spans everything from opera, to dance, theater, and public art— it has been shown at Times Square, Tokyo Disney, BAM, Prague National Theatre, the NY Philharmonic, the XXI Commonwealth Games, and Barbican Center (to name a few). Kruzhilina is an associate professor at the New School of Drama, where she co-developed a new MFA program in Contemporary Theatre and Performance. She is also a La MaMa resident artist and Joan D. Firestone Fund Award recipient.

You’ll witness some of her greatest artistry in SpaceBridge, a piece devised and performed by eleven young Russian refugees alongside eight American participants of the same age. It feels almost reductive to call this a ‘performance’. The project draws direct inspiration from the 1983 peace mission to the USSR led by an eleven-year-old American activist who bridged the gap between American and Russian children during the Cold War. The show manages to bridge time, using real media from this period to create a gripping experience for the stage.

Notably, SpaceBridge is becoming a national initiative. Kruzhilina intends to expand the workshop curriculum, adapting it to serve any refugee community across the country. Once published, it will be shared with educational centers and theaters, alongside a training program for teaching artists. Read more about this and the show itself, in Kruzhilina’s own words.

Don’t miss out! Come see SpaceBridge from November 21st – 23rd and experience the impact of Irina Kruzhilina’s visual artistry. Get your tickets HERE!