Stone Embroideries

Have you ever seen patterns on buildings that seem frozen in place, resembling the real Ukrainian motifs of vyshyvankas? If not, it is worth taking a walk through the streets of Nova Kakhovka, where in recent years a great deal of effort and time has been devoted to recreating unique panels, which were once created by the Boychukists on the facades of plain and monotonous buildings. Since the city was built rapidly, the authorities placed more emphasis on simple low-rise development with uniform houses. The idea of diversifying the facades of the buildings was proposed by H. Dovzhenko — a follower of the Boychukist school. Together with like-minded craftsmen, he created about 80 ornaments on the facades of houses. For their unique and beautiful appearance, they were nicknamed "stone vyshyvankas".

During the Soviet era, almost all the panels were plastered over. The main reason was their bold appearance. External insulation of the facades added to the damage. That is why in recent years the authorities have been trying to restore this almost lost art.

Interesting facts:

• One of the reasons for the appearance of the "stone vyshyvankas" was O. Dovzhenko's demand to give the city a beautiful appearance for film shooting.
• The patterns are characterized by the main features of the Boychukist style: schematic form, simplicity, depictions of birds and intertwined plants.
• Today, the issue of granting the stone vyshyvankas the status of a monument of national significance is under consideration.