To mark the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, Vsi. Svoi decorated their storefronts with displays inspired by Krychevsky’s work
18 August 18:12
To mark the 35th anniversary of Independence, the display windows of the “Vsi” Ukrainian Brands Space. Their storefronts in downtown Kyiv have been decorated with displays inspired by the work of Vasyl Krychevsky —an architect, painter, graphic artist, and designer, and one of the founders of Ukrainian modernist architecture. The project “Vasyl Krychevsky: The Language of Independence” aims to show how Ukrainian culture, art, and its own visual language shaped the concept of independence long before the state was proclaimed, reports "Komersant Ukrainian".
Vasyl Krychevsky worked in architecture, painting, book design, decorative arts, scenography, and state-themed graphic art. By combining Ukrainian folk traditions with contemporary European artistic approaches, the artist developed a cohesive visual language that has become an important part of Ukrainian cultural identity.
Through the window displays for “Vsi. Svoi,” Vasyl Krychevsky’s visual world moves from the confines of museums and archives into the contemporary urban environment. His ornaments, architectural imagery, and national symbols become part of the celebration of the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence.
“For us, the Vsi. Svoi are an opportunity to speak to the city not only about contemporary Ukrainian brands, but also about the cultural tradition from which we have grown. Vasyl Krychevsky effectively helped shape the visual identity of Ukraine—from architecture and ornamentation to state symbols. On the eve of the 35th anniversary of Independence, we wanted to bring this history out of museums and books—into the everyday spaces of Kyiv, where everyone can see it,” comments Artem Fedosov, CEO of the Vsi. Our Own.
One of Vasyl Krychevsky’s most famous works was the design for the Poltava Provincial Zemstvo building, created in the early 20th century. Today, this building houses the Vasyl Krychevsky Poltava Regional Museum. In its design, the artist combined the principles of folk and religious architecture, local ornamentation, murals, and traditional ceramics, creating one of the finest examples of Ukrainian Art Nouveau.
In 1918, Krychevsky designed the state coat of arms of the Ukrainian People’s Republic based on Prince Vladimir the Great’s symbol—the trident. He also worked on state seals and the graphic design of Ukrainian banknotes.
The artist was one of the founders of the Ukrainian Academy of Arts in 1917; he designed book covers, worked in theater and film as a painter and set designer, taught, and researched Ukrainian folk architecture, ornamentation, and decorative arts.
“The key exhibit of the Vasyl Krychevsky Poltava Local History Museum is the museum building itself—a view shared by the entire cultural community of Poltava. This architectural landmark showcases the region’s distinctive features in the use of materials, color, and form. By internalizing these characteristics, Vasyl Krychevsky created, out of brick, reinforced concrete, and roof tiles, an emblem of distinctive Ukrainian culture, which, throughout decades of statelessness, ensured that those around us would never forget our people’s will to create their own art and shape their own existence,” — notes Viktor Kropyvnyi, communications manager at the Vasyl Krychevsky Poltava Local History Museum.
The project was initiated by the cultural platform “Khvyluyemo” (art manager Alona Romashko) with the support of the Vasyl Krychevsky Poltava Local History Museum.
“‘Khvyluyemo’ is a cultural platform founded in Poltava, so it’s especially important for us to share the city’s cultural heritage far beyond its borders and to show just how significant Poltava’s contribution is to the development of Ukrainian culture and visual identity,” says Alona Romashko, founder of the “Khvyluyemo” cultural platform.
The project’s title—“Vasyl Krychevsky: The Language of Independence”—serves as a reminder that a nation’s independence is shaped not only by political events but also by culture, art, symbols, and the ability to speak its own visual language.
The displays can be seen at the following addresses:
- 27 Khreshchatyk
- Respublika Park Shopping Center, Entrance 4
- Lavina Mall
- Retroville Shopping Center
- Blockbuster Mall
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