Why was perestroika not just a political process, but an explosion of cultural freedom? Art critic Kirill Svetlyakov will explain how the aesthetics of the late 1980s broke stereotypes and gave birth to paradoxical forms - from black cinema to informal performances. The lecture is a chance to look into an era that became a challenge. The late 1980s was not only a time of political change but also a real explosion in culture. It was a time when, on one hand, Soviet censorship disappeared, while on the other, the era of commerce and digital media had not yet arrived. This transitional period gave birth to an astonishingly bold and free cultural environment, where authors stopped being afraid and began to speak "their own". Kirill Svetlyakov's lecture, a candidate of art studies, art critic, and author of the book "Soviet Culture: From Big Style to the First Raves", will be a journey into the era of perestroika - into its most vibrant, paradoxical, and avant-garde part. The phrase from the film "Accident - The Daughter of a Cop" - "I like everything you don't like!" - became a symbol of a time when values changed rapidly, and new heroes emerged literally before our eyes. Svetlyakov will offer a perspective on perestroika as a cultural revolution, where a true rethinking of forms occurred: in visual arts, music, television, cinema, and even in street agitation. We will discuss how performances emerged and existed, why black and absurdist cinema became a revelation, what author television was like, and what the aesthetics of political posters of that time entailed. The main question of the meeting is - what was a person like at the end of the 80s? And how similar are they to us today? Together with the lecturer, participants will try to answer what the uniqueness of that time was and how it continues to influence our cultural agenda. This lecture is for everyone interested in the history of art, cultural shifts, human freedom, and an unconventional view of the past. It is a conversation not only about how it was but also about what it means for us today. The lecture will be especially interesting for students.