I’ve wanted to visit Kyiv for a long time. I’m not sure what drew me to it. The fact that it was quite far on the map from Poland, or maybe the photos I came across by chance on the web. Whatever it was, I’m grateful for it.
I managed to visit Kyiv six months before the war. I wrote about this trip and withheld publication after the victory of Ukraine. Years are passing and the situation is still difficult. So, I decided to publish the article despite the war, so that more people would know how beautiful and original this city is. Or it was – the war is ongoing and unfortunately the Russians are not sparing Kiev. However, I believe that this madness will end and there will still be a chance to hang around this very interesting, coffee-drenched city full of sky-high tenement houses.
I was in Kyiv for a short time, just one day full of sightseeing. I managed to see a lot of street art in the city center. Below I’ve compiled a list of 10 murals that impressed me.
- The Black Sea, Jake Aikman, Bulvarno Kudriavaska St. 35
I saw this mural in the evening, and it still made an incredible impression on me. It is placed in an interesting neighborhood, which we came across by coincidence, during looking for vinyl shops.
2. Red Bicycle, Emmanuel Jarus, Viacheslava Lypynskoho St. 13
This is a great area to get lost in. There were plenty of street art in every size and form.
3. Freedom, Alex Maksiov, Ivana Franka St. 12
This is one of the murals in which the artist uses the structure of the wall. The author Alex Maksiov cleverly integrated a light bulb into a window. The artist spent 3 days cleaning the wall. The building is over a century old, probably survived a fire in the past. The paint did not want to stick to the wall because of that and the cleaning was necessary. Read more on artist’s website.
4. City Man/City Lights, Sebastian Velasco, Olesia Honchara St. 36A + Rodents, Roa, Olesia Honchara St. 32A
These two murals are next to each other. I have an appreciation for Roa’s work because one of them has been decorating Lodz for years. His technique takes a lot of time, but it’s incredibly eye-catching. Sebastian Velasco’s work, on the other hand, capture the urban atmosphere. I don’t know if there is a need for comments. These murals speak for themselves.
5. Self-Made Man, Alexander Grebenyuk, Olesia Honchara St. 24A
This is a very interesting work for several reasons. The first thing that strikes the eye is the color of the tenement on which the mural is placed. It’s a beautiful rusty brick red. The artist purposely leaves some uncovered space to create a contrast with the figure he created. The figure-writer consists of sheets of paper on which he writes. The last thing that impresses me is the format of this mural. It’s a wall of a giant building.
6. Upside Down Girl (Gymnast), Fintan Magee, Striletska St. 12
Okay, maybe my heart wasn’t won by this mural, but being in the area it’s worth a look. The mural was created in honor of one of Ukraine’s gymnast’s.
7. Car Cogs (Car Carousel), M-City, Striletska St. 20B
This mural, even if I didn’t like it, would still be included in this list. Fortunately, I belong to the fan club of Mariusz Waras (m-city). The Polish artist appeared in Kyiv and created an excellent work with stencils.
8. Renaissance, Seth & Kislow, Borychiv Tik St. 33/6
One of the most famous Kyiv murals. Created by a Frenchman and a Ukrainian. This work is political message wrapped in Seth’s fabulous style. I love his work, so I was very happy to see one of them for the first time in person. A bonus is its location – in the middle of the old city, among beautiful streets and next to the Drunken Cherry (spot with cherry liqueur).
9. Untitled, Nunca, Spaska Street 6а
There is always a story behind the Nunca’s work. I was impressed when I found out the meaning of his mural in Lodz. Likewise in Kiev. Nunca has painted a Cossack and the hands of Brazilians who are painting him. As far as I know not all the residents of the area were happy about the placement of the mural in such a historic district. Were they right? I can’t tell, I am not objective here.
10. Brown Bear in a Colorful Whimsy, Kraser Tres, Verkhnii Val 44
Finally, the bear. 🙂 Seemingly grim, but I don’t mind to walk by.
That’s all for today. This list is just the tip of the iceberg. There are MANY murals in Kyiv, some of which are really amazing. I hope I will go back there when the circumstances change. Slava Ukraini!
Take care!
K.
Part of Streets 