In the village of Kotlyarka in Zhytomyr region, after the adoption of the law on decommunization, it was decided not to demolish the monument to Lenin. Instead, it was turned into a monument to Shevchenko, UNN reports with reference to Suspilne.
According to media reports, local artist Volodymyr Gerasymchuk changed his chin, replaced his cap with a Kobzar, and turned his jacket into a coat.
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Until 2017, it was a monument to Lenin. In 2017, at the initiative of the Kotliarka village council, local artist Volodymyr Herasymchuk transformed it into a monument to Taras Shevchenko. The transformation was initiated by Tetiana Petruk, the head of the Kotliarka village culture center.
"When I saw that he was about to be overthrown, something ached in my soul. I immediately thought: "Why not remodel it?". I turned to the community, approached Volodymyr Herasymchuk and said: "Volodymyr, will you remake it or not? Please, change it from Lenin to Shevchenko," said the head of the community center.
Tetiana Petruk said that if the Lenin monument had been demolished, there would not have been enough money to erect a new monument. That is why the community decided to give new life to the old monument. The sculpture was covered with copper, which artist Volodymyr Herasymchuk removed, sold, and used the money to buy materials for the work. According to him, the hardest part was working with strong concrete. Work on the monument lasted about two weeks.
"I wanted to make it the way I imagined it. I added a collar, a "Kobzarik" instead of a cap. I upholstered it and sawed it with a grinder. I added a scarf to it to change it a bit. I made a coat out of the jacket. I couldn't change the monument's legs. Taras Shevchenko wore fashionable shoes with pointed toes. However, it was not possible to sharpen Lenin's rounded boots. I tried, but it was impossible to cut them with a grinder," said Volodymyr Herasymchuk.
Local residents of the village of Kotlyarka told Suspilne about their attitude to the sculpture.
"There was no destruction. It was the artist's work, a creative idea. Those who do not know the previous monument to Lenin generally agree that it is Shevchenko, but those who do have memories and doubts," said Viktor, a resident of the village of Kotlyarka.
According to Volodymyr Tylishchak, deputy head of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory, the Lenin monument was formally removed from public space.
"In my opinion, this is not a good way to honor the figure of Taras Shevchenko. Obviously, the community can decide within its powers, but the issues of artistic expression and aesthetic values should also be taken into account. From this point of view, this is not the best or optimal way to both decommunize and honor the memory of Taras Shevchenko," said Volodymyr Tylishchak.