Usyk Unveils Recreated Ukrainian Mosaic Mural in London’s Trafalgar Square
Ukrainian heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk and Sir Richard Branson unveiled a restored version of Alla Horska’s iconic 1967 mosaic Borovyter in London’s Trafalgar Square, bringing international attention to a piece of Ukrainian cultural heritage that was damaged during Russia’s full-scale invasion, The Gaze reports, citing Ukrinform.
The powerful mural — originally created by a group of monumental artists led by famed dissident and artist Alla Horska — was destroyed in Mariupol in 2022. Now, thanks to a collaboration between Ukraine WOW NGO, Rozetka (Ukraine’s largest marketplace), and the Horska & Zaretsky Foundation, Borovyter has been meticulously reconstructed by 15 modern artists over the course of three months.
“Through this project, we want to remind the world not only of Ukraine’s fight for freedom, but also of its unique culture,” said representatives from Ukraine WOW.
The opening ceremony, held just days before Usyk’s much-anticipated match against Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium, was supported by the Oleksandr Usyk Foundation, British-Ukrainian Aid, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, members of the UK Parliament, and the Mayor of London’s office.
Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group and Virgin Unite, publicly endorsed the initiative and joined the event alongside Justine Simons, London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, and British MP Alex Sobel, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Ukraine.
The recreated Borovyter was first unveiled in Kyiv and is now beginning an international tour to spotlight Ukrainian resilience and artistry.
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