FROM HERITAGE TO MEMORY: BUS STOP MOSAICS IN UKRAINE’S TRANSFORMATIONS OF CULTURAL SPACE

Abstract

The study is devoted to the phenomenon of Soviet mosaic bus stops as a unique type of monumental art that combines aesthetic, ideological, and memorial functions. The article emphasizes the paradoxical nature of contemporary attitudes toward this heritage: on the one hand, mosaics are perceived as remnants of a totalitarian past, while on the other, they serve as important carriers of cultural memory and local identity. The author traces the historical origins of mosaic art from Mesopotamia and Byzantium to the Boichukists and the Soviet era, following the transformation of the technique and its integration into the architectural space of the Ukrainian SSR during the Khrushchev reform, when mass housing construction required aesthetic enrichment, and mosaics became both instruments of propaganda and means of artistic synthesis. Bus stops are considered as objects of cultural heritage, some of which acquire symbolic significance as “places of memory,” where visual images reflected labor achievements, scientific progress, or ethnographic motifs depending on the region. Based on personal experience and direct physical examination of numerous mosaic bus stops, the author stresses that the art of decorating small architectural forms in Western Ukraine tended toward folk ornaments and folklore, whereas in Eastern Ukraine industrial themes and Soviet symbolism predominated. The study presents the views of art historians, activists, and travelers who highlight the artistic, historical, and touristic value of mosaics, as well as the conflicting assessments of local communities regarding their preservation or demolition. The author emphasizes that the absence of a legal mechanism for protecting small architectural forms makes mosaic bus stops vulnerable to destruction, while their preservation may become an important factor in shaping Ukraine’s national identity and cultural landscape. The study encourages public dialogue on “preservation vs. destruction” and proposes to interpret mosaics not only as heritage of the Soviet era but also as a unique layer of Ukrainian culture that deserves restoration, promotion, and international protection