Boryviter Returns: ROZETKA and Ukraine WOW Recreate Alla Horska’s Mosaic Mural Destroyed in Mariupol
Kyiv, Ukraine. – On June 12, a recreated version of Alla Horska’s legendary Boryviter mosaic was unveiled at Maidan Nezalezhnosti Square. The project was initiated by ROZETKA, Ukraine’s largest online marketplace, in collaboration with Ukraine WOW, and the Alla Horska and Viktor Zaretskyi Foundation. A team of 15 monumental artists and researchers, led by Horska’s granddaughter Olena Zaretska, contributed to the restoration. The recreated mosaic replicates everything to the smallest detail, after the Mariupol original was severely damaged during the full-scale Russian invasion. Boryviter will now go on an international tour to raise awareness of Ukrainian art, sharing the stories of artists whose work Russia seeks to erase.
photographer: Daria Shramko
In the summer of 1967, a team of monumental artists led by the renowned artist Alla Horska created the Boryviter mosaic in Mariupol. The composition, featuring a falcon in flight, captivated viewers with its dynamic form and movement. Its bold mix of materials, alternating colors, and interesting textures made Boryviter a symbol of creative freedom. Just three years later, Alla Horska — a leading figure of the Ukrainian Sixtiers movement — was murdered by Soviet security forces.
In 2022, the mosaic was significantly damaged during the Russian invasion. Its current condition remains unknown.
“This year, ROZETKA is celebrating its 20th anniversary. We wanted to mark the occasion by doing something meaningful for the country because we go through all challenges together with Ukraine. It was an honor for us to help bring back Alla Horska’s iconic mosaic. I believe Boryviter will amaze, inspire, and give hope that everything lost can be restored. It will become the voice of Ukrainian art, both at home and abroad. The cities to host the mosaic will be Kharkiv and Lviv,” said Iryna Chechotkina, Co-Founder of ROZETKA.
As part of the project, a second copy of the mosaic was also created and divided into 1,250 fragments. Anyone could purchase one of these fragments and become a guardian of Boryviter, helping to one day restore the legendary artwork in a liberated Mariupol.
Yulia Solovey
and Yaroslava Gres
“We don’t know the current state of Boryviter — the mosaic is hidden within a building surrounded by a construction fence. But even if the Russians have heavily damaged it, we can restore it. The new version of Boryviter was recreated with exact precision. We then divided it into 1,250 pieces, so that it cannot be destroyed by Russian bombs and missiles. We invited Ukrainians to become keepers of these fragments and, one day, help rebuild Boryviter in a free Ukrainian Mariupol. The entire collection sold out within a day, raising 4 million hryvnias. All proceeds from the mosaic fragment sales will go toward restoring Alla Horska’s only remaining mosaic work in Kyiv,Viter (The Wind) and organizing the Boryviter tour across Ukraine and the world,” explained Ukraine WOW co-founders, Yaroslava Gres and Yulia Solovey.
A team of 15 monumental artists and researchers contributed to the reconstruction, including Anastasiia Leliuk, Tetiana Tadai, Inha Levi, Olha Chykalo, Alya Sehgal, Tamara Turliun, Polina Pyskuriova, Anastasiia Antonets, Tetiana Bakum, Andrii Fischer, and Hanna Krut. The team was led by Olena Zaretska, Horska’s granddaughter. A special structure was developed for Boryviter to allow the mosaic to travel safely.
“To recreate the original as accurately as possible, we sourced over 700 kilograms of materials from around the world: from opaque cobalt glass and tiles in the needed colors, to metal sheets and even aluminum spoons. Everything was made exactly as the artists created it in 1967. The Soviet regime feared Alla Horska’s talent so much, they killed her. Today, Russia continues its attempts to erase her legacy. We will do everything we can to preserve and restore it. I’m proud that for the first time, the mosaic is not part of a building facade but exists as a unique structure of 68 pieces assembled onto a metal frame. This allows it to travel and inspire people across Ukraine and the world,” said Olena Zaretska.
The recreated Boryviter mosaic was firstly displayed in Kyiv from June12 till June 22.
Ukraine Wow