Street Art: Huge Wall Murals in Kyiv, Ukraine

I’ve got lots to say about Kyiv, but I thought I’d kick off with a lively blog about some of the huge wall murals scattered all around the city by some very talented street artists!

Looking for street art is a fun way to get to know a new city. You end up going down streets you might not usually bother strolling down and finding gems outside of the guidebooks. In some cases you might also learn about some of the political issues going on in the place, that certainly felt the case for some of the street art in Kyiv.

There are so many wall murals to find, you’d need a few weeks in the city to complete the task. Only having five nights and wanting to see so much already, I just tried to find what I could. Google Maps wasn’t working on my phone for some reason so I had extra difficulty trying to navigate my way around the city. Luckily, my sense of direction didn’t fail me on too many occasions with the assistance of the ol’ paper map.

But if you have Google Maps it’ll be an absolute breeze if you follow this map which details most of the city’s street art.

Wall mural by Vhils dedicated to the young activist Serhiy Nigoyan.

I want to begin this list with this portrait of Serhiy Nigoyan by Portuguese artist Alexandre Farto, known as Vhils. Nigoyan was a young activist and sadly also the first person to be shot dead in the Euromaidan protests on 22 January 2014. The protests were sparked by the Ukrainian government’s decision to reject the signing of an association agreement with the European Union, instead choosing closer ties to Russia. Many, many people were not happy with their government’s desire to be closer with Russia, so these protests were supported by a majority of the population demanding an end to the political elite ruling the country. 

I think during times of political unrest this is also when you see people becoming more engaged with their community – putting up street art is an example of this.

Street art in Kiev - where to find them.

This pretty mural of a bird hanging from a light bulb is titled Freedom by Ukrainian artist Alex Maksiov, who specialises in 3D-effect street paintings. It’s located beside a children’s park and opposite the building is another wall mural, however, this birdie definitely steals the limelight.

Location: 12 Ivana Franka Street

Wall murals in Kiev - looking for street art.
This bright and surreal wall mural was created by Ukrainian-born street art duo Interesni Kazki whose name literally translates to ‘interesting fairy tales’. Their style is the combination of Ukrainian folkloric characters, traditional stories, and pure surrealism. Their subjects vary from complete abstraction to the depiction of famous Ukrainian personalities and interpretations of folklore and history.

Street art in Kyiv (Kiev), Ukraine.

Location: 6 Small Street

Wall mural in Kiev, Ukraine
This striking wall mural of a women falling is actually a portrait of Ukrainian gymnast Hanna Rizatdinova, who is originally from Crimea but now based in Kiev. Rizatdinova made her condemnation of Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula publicly known, ‘How can Crimea be Russia? How can our Simferopol school train under a Russian flag? I was outraged,’ she said. Street artist, Fintan Magee, decided to paint this portrait of her titled The Dreamer.

Street art in Kyiv (Kiev), Ukraine
Location: 12 Small Street

Searching for street art in Kiev, Ukraine
Tip: There are quite a few murals to find on Small Street, so definitely worth heading in this direction.

Location: 9/11 Small Street

Street art in Kyiv (Kiev), Ukraine

This beautiful mural created by Guido Van Helten is titled Lily Of The Valley. The concept is based on the poem by Lesya Ukrainka, a Ukranian freedom fighter, poet and female activist. It’s hard to capture the scale of the mural in a photo, it’s HUGE, and located just below a little out-door public garden, a perfect place to rest your feet for a few moments.

Location: 28 Small Street

Looking for street art in Kiev

Inside a carpark I stumbled across this wall mural, Self Made Man, by Ukrainian artist Alexander Grebenyuk. It depicts a man on his type writer and judging by all that paper he doesn’t suffer from writer’s block!

As you can see below, you’ll also be able to find a few other wall murals running down Honchar street so keep your eyes peeled.

Location: 24a Honchar Street.

Street art in Kiev by ROA.
I’d recognise street art by ROA anywhere! This Belgian street artist is primarily known for his consistent depiction of animals and rodents which quickly distinguishes him amongst muralists.

If you’re interested to see another piece by ROA, check out this blog about street art in Brussels.

Street art in Kiev by ROA.

Location: 23 Honchar Street

Wall murals in Kiev - looking for street art.

On the wall directly opposite ROA’s mice is another mural by Sebas Velasco, a Spanish street artist. Sebas said the man in the mural is a local man from Kiev who invited him out for dinner. It must have been an extremely delicious dinner, that’s all I can say!

Location: 36a Honchar Street

Street art in Kiev, Ukraine

Located on really busy intersection is this large wall mural. Unfortunately there was too much traffic so I couldn’t get closer enough to find the artist’s name.

Location: 12 Starovokzalnaya Street.

Wall Murals of Kiev, Ukraine - searching for street art.

Less than a minute’s walk from the Chernobyl Museum you’ll find this mural by Brazilian artist, Nunca. The concept of the work was to blend Brazilian and Ukrainian cultures in a single character.

Location: 6a Spasskaya Street

Wall mural in Kiev - blog about street art in Ukraine's capital city.

Not too far away from the Chernobyl Museum on Andriyivskyy Descent, often described as the ‘Montmartre of Kiev. This brightly coloured mural is titled Renaissance by Seth Globepainter and Ukrainian artist Kislow.

Location: 33/6 Borichev Tick Street

What I’ve shown you here is only a tiny fraction of the street art in Kyiv – I’d love to go back and see the rest. If you’re planning your own trip make sure to save the image below on Pinterest.

check out the street art in Kiev, Ukraine

Would you like to see the street art in Kyiv for yourself?

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Hi, I'm Shing

Welcome to The Culture Map, a place where I share my travel guides, adventurous tales, and capture the inspiring diversity of our world.

8 Responses

  1. ah, that’s the main reason why I’m returning to Kiev soon! I somehow skipped murals last year as I was with a friend who was in the city for the first time and we had limited time. And ever since I’m itching to go back! Only few more weeks 😀

    1. Ahh that’s a great app – thanks for sharing Katherine!

      They’re all incredible aren’t they? Some of the best street art I’ve ever seen – I want to go back so much, there’s a lot to like about this city!

  2. Wow! Some of this street art is incredible. We recently spent some time in Portugal where there is also amazing street art too.

  3. Thank you so much for the addresses, the descriptions and the link of the map: super useful! 🙂 Tomorrow I am heading to Kiev, graffiti are already part of my plan 😉

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