Key points:
- On 19 February at 17:00, the Kyiv Whale will light up again at VDNH in Kyiv.
- The installation is dedicated to World Whale Day.
- The sculpture will feature a new audiovisual programme based on the sounds of Kyiv’s rivers.
- The project aims to draw attention to water quality issues and the environmental consequences of the war.
- The performance will be shown daily at sunset at the VDNH venue.
On 19 February at 17:00, the Kyiv Whale will once again light up at VDNH in Kyiv. It is the largest ecological media art sculpture in Ukraine, created from recycled plastic collected by Kyiv schoolchildren.
The event is dedicated to World Whale Day. This year, the installation will feature a new audiovisual programme based on the sounds of Kyiv’s rivers. Its aim is to draw attention to the issue of clean water in Ukraine, which has worsened due to the environmental consequences of the war.
On the eve of 2026, the state of Ukraine’s water resources is assessed as critical.
According to scientists, more than 50,000 dolphins have died, and the mussel population has declined by nearly half. Following the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant, around 83,300 tonnes of heavy metals were recorded in bottom sediments. In the Black Sea, 5,000 tonnes of fuel oil and a 55-kilometre sunflower oil slick were also detected.
The audiovisual programme can be viewed daily at sunset on the grounds of VDNH, located at 1 Akademika Hlushkova Avenue, near Pavilion No. 11.
Experts also urge citizens to pay close attention to the quality of drinking water, test its composition, use reliable purification systems and avoid swimming in bodies of water without official approval. Households are advised to keep a water supply for at least 72 hours.
The Kyiv Whale Eco Hubs project is part of the international initiative PartArt4OW.
On 19 February, the installation will be presented simultaneously in Kyiv and Barcelona.
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