This tote bag shows an illustration of a traditional ceramic rooster (pivnyk in Ukrainian). This rooster has become a symbol of Ukraine’s survival in the face of Russia’s invasion after it appeared in a photo from Borodianka, Kyiv Oblast, in April 2022.

The photo showed a ruined apartment building, where an entire room had been ripped away in a Russian strike. Just one wall with a kitchen cabinet remained intact. On top of that cabinet a ceramic rooster was still standing. The rooster is thought to have first been produced sometime around 1960 in a pottery factory in the nearby town of Vasylkiv. 

This illustration is by Andrii Voloshyn and is part of a collaboration with the Kyiv Independent. 

Andrii Voloshyn is a nuclear physicist and a self-taught illustrator with 15 years of professional experience. The illustrations in this collection are a junction of modern and eternal Ukrainian symbols, brought together with a contemporary and lively style.

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By purchasing this product, you directly support our independent journalism.

 

Pictured here:

- Ex-TikTok producer and video host Masha Lavrova with the pivnyk tote bag.