I spent five days wandering the Ukrainian capital with a flashlight and a tripod, photographing the art which is capturing the spirit of today’s Kiev.
Since the deadly Euromaidan protests of 2014, murals have been appearing on the streets of Ukrainian capital. Many are politically charged pieces from locals. Some are large-scale epics by international artists. All photos copyright Amos Chapple/Radio Free Europe.
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#1
Elephant Dream, by Sasha Korban.
#2
Portrait of a girl wrapped in traditional Ukrainian clothing, by Australian artist Guido van Helten. The mural covers 18 stories of a Soviet-era apartment block.
#3
A Sasha Korban piece in progress, photographed on August 16. A resident of the northern suburb said of the project, “It’s great. For years we’ve had nothing to look at but concrete.”
#4
Renaissance, by Seth Globepainter and Ukrainian artist Kislow.
#5
A mural by Sasha Korban. The Ukrainian artist fled the war in Ukraine’s east, where, before turning his hand to art full time, he worked as a coal miner in Donetsk.
#6
This kaleidoscopic cormorant, by artist Ernesto Maranje, is one of the first things visitors to Kyiv see; it faces the morning sun on the highway from the airport.
#7
Another mural aboove Maidan is “Protectress,” by Costa Rican artist Mata Ruda. The mural depicts a Slavic goddess surrounded by sunflowers, the national flower of Ukraine.
#8
The River Crossing, by Australian artist Fintan Magee. The explosion of street art in Kyiv is partly a result of young locals who arrange for international artists to visit and work in Ukraine.
#9
Freedom, by Alex Maksiov.
#10
Swift, by Alex Maksiov. The young Ukrainian artist used 90 liters of paint for the mural. Ukraine’s flag is reflected in the bird’s eye.
#11
Labyrinth, by Russian artist Rustam QBic. Many of the murals are on quiet backstreets and can be difficult to find.
#12
A portrait of Serhiy Nigoyan, the first person to be shot dead during the Euromaidan protests in 2014. The ethnic Armenian was struck down shortly before a police assault on protesters during the snowy morning of January 22. On seeing the portrait, Nigoyan’s father said, “We are proud. Thank you to everyone who respects, participated, and strove in his memory.”
#13
A mural by Alexander Britz in the courtyard where three famous crows — named Cyril, Carlos, and Corbin — are housed in a cage.
#14
A local resident walks past a mural declaring, “I love Ukraine!”
#15
A mural declaring “Peace To Ukraine” in central Kiev.
#16
A mural by Vyacheslav Shuma on the western edge of Kiev.
#17
The Visionary, by Australian artist Fintan Magee.
#18
A mural by French artist Seth Globepainter. The mural sits on a quiet street directly above Kiev’s Independence Square, known as Maidan, where scores of people died during antigovernment unrest in 2014.
#19
SelfMadeMan, by Ukrainian artist Alexander Grebenyuk. The mural is reportedly a tribute to journalists in Ukraine.
#20
This mural of phoenixes rising with a human figure is by Ana Marietta. The Puerto Rican artist said of her time in Kyiv: “I was able to witness beauty in so many ways. The architecture, the beautiful people, their kindness… I wanted to skip the language barrier… sending them a message of solidarity, of love.”
#21
The Archangel Michael, by Gaia. The American artist says Michael “is often invoked as protection from invasion by enemies, and civil war. In this image, the devil has been removed and the mirrored figure is reflected in its stead. This image stands as a testament to the ongoing conflict in Crimea and Donbas between Ukraine and Russia.”
#22
A mural by Brazilian artist Nunca. The concept of the work was to blend Brazilian and Ukrainian cultures in a single character.
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