Tree of Life mural at the Ukrainian League

Artist Statement for Tree of Life by Rymma Mylenkova 

Three years ago, I came as a Fulbright research scholar to Philadelphia, the capital of mural arts, to study how community public art can be a social development tool. At that time, I was affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania in the Fine Arts Department and had the opportunity not only to conduct research with their support but also to attend a class called Big Pictures that taught the theoretical and practical foundations of creating murals in urban spaces. I did not know then that I would not be able to return to my university in Ukraine in time, nor did I know that I would have the opportunity to paint a mural in Philadelphia.

The idea to paint a mural on the building of the Ukrainian League appeared in the most difficult days ‒ the first months after the war against Ukraine had started. I remember how being in shock at what was happening, the whole community then collected money for aid, packed parcels to send to Ukraine, and women made dumplings until nightfall, sold them, and collected money for aid. I remember those days as dark, even black, for some reason I remember more evenings and nights than days. At that time, there was a lack of paints and colors ‒ both literally and emotionally.

Then Mural Arts Philadelphia responded to our appeal and became interested in a project that can have both a local and international effect ‒ making a statement about the Ukrainian community in Philadelphia. We all wanted to tell that Ukrainian history is not only war, it is also an ancient culture, full of colors, traditions, music and happiness.

Design discussions with the community continued for several months. We slowly moved from ideas to concepts and, finally, visualization. I used the pattern of a wedding towel typical of the middle part of Ukraine. The design embodies the abundance, joyful flowering, and nurturing moisture that brings new life. The visual elements represent  Berehinia, Goddess of Protection, who is a guardian of every family and their heritage. The ornamentation inside the flowers is of centuries-old, embroidered patterns from different regions across Ukraine. In the process of discussion, we changed the colors to the national blue and yellow, which are iconic for both Ukraine and Philadelphia.

The process of making the mural gave us a sense of unity with the local community. We made the neighborhood more authentic and beautiful while local people expressed their daily support, voiced how beautiful they found the mural, and even brought lunch and drinks. This experience taught us to interact with the community and be a part of it, and it was incredible.

About the artist 

Rymma Mylenkova is a visual artist active in community  public art, multimedia art, book illustrations, and land art, working with digital and analogue collage, painting, sculpture, and other contemporary media.

Artist Statement

My current work is a portrait of self and the experience of others facing similar challenges – disappointment, separation, and search for resilience.

Through the conception of dynamic identity, I am exploring personal integrity to reconcile my past and present self, my Ukrainian legacy, the story of unplanned immigration, and survivor guilt.

I investigate the borderline between the categories of private and public, hidden and shared, and individual and national, including examining intimate stories of tragedy and heroism unveiled in mass media.

Working in collage is a metaphor for assembling the fragmentary and redundant images, facts, and narratives we encounter each day into an extra-somatic mosaic memory. Through this lens, I am drawn to the aesthetic and semiotic power of collage to create a new reality out of endless split ideas, illusions, and truths.

From small works on paper to large-scale murals, I invite the viewer to experience a new awareness and picture of our world.

Visit the Artist’s website.