CCC's Street Art Contest #170. Guido van Helten (Kyiv, Ukraine)

Hello everyone!
Today I want to share a Street Art find I found in the center of Kyiv. This is my entry for the CCC's Street Art Contest #170 hosted by @digi-me.

This is one of my favorite murals in Kyiv by the famous Australian visual artist and photographer Guido van Helten. It was painted as part of CityArt Project. The artist created this image, inspired by the poetry of the outstanding Ukrainian poet and dramatist Lesya Ukrainka. The poem is called «Lilies of the Valley». You can read this poem in English on Guido van Helten's official website. And, of course, you can see an image of lilies of the valley at the bottom of the mural.

Guido van Helten is a true master of the portrait genre. Look at the image of this young woman in a Ukrainian 'Vyshyvanka' national embroidered dress! She looks so realistic, as if it is an old photo, the colours of which have faded a little. Perhaps, in this image, the artist embodied the poet at the dawn of her youth. She is so pensive, looking into the distance.

The artwork "Lily of the Valley" always draws my attention when I cross Striletska Street. I often stop and look up at this beautiful artwork. I especially like to admire this mural in the autumn because its colours resemble the colour palette of late autumn.

Title: Lily of the Valley
Author: Guido van Helten
Created date: August, 2015
Location: Striletska street, 28, Kyiv, Ukraine
Date of photos: November, 2023

By the way, the place for the mural was not chosen by chance. In different periods of her life, the outstanding Ukrainian poet Lesya Ukrainka lived on Striletska Street. Now, her image on this mural reminds the residents and guests of the Ukrainian capital about the most outstanding figure of Ukrainian culture.

I hope you enjoyed this beautiful street art find. See you around!