The Panel 'Life' in the Interior of the Palace of Culture 'Chemist' in Dniprodzerzhinsk (now Kamianske) 1971

Valerii Lamakh made this mosaic panel called 'Life' for a Palace of Culture, and you can see it's bursting with figures amidst a lush, colorful landscape. Imagine him piecing this all together, tile by tile—kind of like building a world from scratch. There’s a real sense of optimism, a vision of harmony between people and nature. I’m really drawn to the greens and blues, how they create a sense of calm, but then there are these pops of red and orange that give it energy. Look at how the figures are rendered, they are so present and connected to one another. And it makes you think about the relationship between art and life, doesn’t it? How artists like Lamakh capture the essence of human experience and transform it into something timeless. The spirit of Matisse and Leger hangs around here, but with its own sense of Ukrainian identity. It feels like an invitation to celebrate the beauty and complexity of life.