How Murals Support Ukraine: Eastern Ukraine-Themed Murals Resembling Berlin Wall Murals

Abstract

In 2013, President Viktor Yanukovych suspended a trade pact between Ukraine and the EU, which led to the Euromaidan protests and violence from armed police. Since then, muralists have recorded the reality of Ukrainian politics and the growth of Ukrainians’ national identity. Through an exploration of art history, sociology, and the history of Ukraine, this research paper serves as an initial investigation of how newly created murals in Ukraine and past murals on the Berlin Wall convey the same theme of battle against communism and share similarity in the growth process. This paper’s comparative analysis was conducted in three stages: an examination of the art’s initial transformation from graffiti to mural form, an analysis of the works’ emphasis on patriotism, and an exploration of the portrayal of minorities, designed to attract an international audience. Findings indicate that murals depicting conflicts in Ukraine have the potential to reinforce Ukrainians, much as murals on the Berlin Wall were crucial in reunifying Germany during the Cold War.