Passion for Lesya: How the epic with the Ukrainian monument will end

The jury has officially determined the winner of the competition for the monument to Larysa Petrivna Kosach, known in Ukrainian literature as Lesya Ukrainka in Odesa, but the jury's choice has already been criticized.

Accent figured out what was going on.

The first prize was awarded to the project by the famous sculptor Mykola Bilyk and architects Andriy Kostruba, Maria Matushenko, and Oleksandr Vovk. Mykola Bilyk is an artist from Ukraine, originally from Bukovyna.

In August 2025, at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Odesa City Council, a decision was made to hold a competition for the best design proposal for the monument to Lesia Ukrainka with the improvement of the surrounding area. The competition was held in one round until January 30, 2026. Professional architects, sculptors or designers, students of architectural and construction higher education institutions, design organizations, teams of authors, specialists in urban planning and architecture were invited to participate. Specialists from other fields with experience in creating monumental artworks could join the teams of authors.

The project of the monument to Lesya Ukrainka has caused controversy among the public and experts. Critics pointed to possible plagiarism and the sculpture's dubious artistic value, while some citizens were outraged by the lack of transparency in the competition.

Кирило Бойко