Liudmyla Makey

The art that Lyudmila Makey practices is based in the village of Petrykivka, in the Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine. This tradition includes painting houses and other buildings. The earliest known examples of this style date from the 18th century, but it continues to thrive and develop today as a modern art form.

"In Petrykivka's Ukrainian art, every detail is a symbol of enlightenment, a symbol of love, happiness and hope. For example, when a boy is born in a Ukrainian family, they paint blue flowers, which is a symbol of powerful hope. When a girl is born, women paint red berries," she confesses. In 2012, the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine recognized the "Petrykivka" style of painting as part of the intangible cultural heritage of Ukraine, and it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as an intangible heritage in 2013.