Mosaic production team: from left
Marianna Falkova, Director Ukraine House Waschington DC, Kim Ward & Gertrud Müller, MosaicMoments Team, Oksana Markarowa, Ambassador of Ukraine to USA, Oleksandra Sienik – Projekt Manager Ukraine House
On May 15th, in celebration of World Vyshyvanka Day, Ukraine House in Washington, D.C. hosted the grand opening of the Ukrainian Embroidery Mosaic. The event featured a special showcase of authentic clothing from Ukraine’s temporarily occupied regions, as well as the presentation of the book Imperishable. Unveiled alongside the Ambassador of Ukraine to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, the mosaic stands as a powerful tribute to Ukraine’s rich cultural heritage and deep-rooted tradition of embroidery art.
Ukraine House serves as a home away from home for Ukrainians—a welcoming space where community, culture, and heritage are preserved, celebrated, and shared. Having lived in Kyiv from 2006 to 2012, I’m especially grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Ukraine House on this meaningful project.
Ukrainian Embroidery Mosaic Inauguration at Vyshyvanka Day May 15 2025, photo collage by Kim Ward
Each embroidery pattern within the mosaic was individually created by a member of the community, designed in the style of regional Ukrainian embroidery to reflect the nation’s diverse artistic traditions. Every pattern was reviewed and approved by an ethnographer from the National Museum of Folk Architecture and Life of Ukraine, ensuring historical and cultural accuracy.
The mosaic is geographically arranged—from the Lutsk region in the northwest at the top left, to Crimea in the southeast at the bottom right—forming a visual map of Ukraine through the language of textile art. This intricate work, composed of 25,000 stones and brought to life by more than 30 contributors, is a testament to unity, resilience, and the beauty of the Ukraine.
