Inspired by the work of eco-activist Elizabeth Wathuti, Berezina's new mural "Tree of Life" combines traditional Ukrainian Petrykivka-style painting with images from Kenyan nature.

Wathuti, founder of the Green Generation Initiative, planted over 30,000 trees in Kenya.

The opportunity to create a Petrykivka-style mural dedicated to an environmental activist provided a unique challenge, the artist said. But with nature and environmental awareness having long been central to Berezina's artistic vision, it was a challenge she readily accepted.

"The work that women eco-activists are doing around the world is incredibly inspiring to me," Berezina told ERR News. "Elizabeth's story, in particular, moved me: thanks to her actions, tens of thousands of trees have been planted. This scale of impact commands both admiration and deep respect."

As she developed the concept for the mural, Berezina discovered a profound symbolism in the fusion of these two distinct cultural traditions.

"In Petrykivka painting, the 'Tree of Life' is a key symbol representing harmony, the cyclical nature of life, and the connection between the earth and the sky. Through her work, Elizabeth is creating a real 'Tree of Life' around her – a world where humans, animals, birds, and plants coexist in balance," Berezina explained.

"By planting trees, she shapes an environment where everything is interconnected. That's exactly what I wanted to convey in this mural – we are all one whole, and we must never forget that."

***

Berezina was invited to create the Narva mural for the #Ishareherpower project. Inspired by the work of Kenyan eco-activist Elizabeth Wathuti, the project is being carried out by Estonian NGO Mondo. Through its work with communities in Africa and Asia, Mondo witnesses firsthand how climate change impacts people's lives and strives to bring awareness to this pressing issue.

One of Mondo's key missions is to inspire Estonian youth to recognize the importance of environmental issues while also highlighting the contributions of women activists from the Global South in protecting the environment.

Berezina's mural has become an essential part of that conversation and the feedback she has received from locals in Narva has been overwhelmingly positive.

"People were genuinely excited. They were sharing photos of the mural on social media and writing lovely comments. I was completely overwhelmed by this wave of support. Every second passerby would stop, compliment the work and thank me for making the city brighter."

One man even told her this was "the best thing to happen in Narva in a long time," she says. There has also been no shortage of requests for her to add a dash of color to local people's homes, shops, or stairwells.

"There was one really touching moment, too, when three Swedish tourists came by," Berezina tells ERR News. While looking for Narva's famous Swedish lion sculpture, they discovered the mural by chance.

"They started clapping and telling me how much they loved it," she says. "It was incredibly inspiring and gave me the energy to keep going. Interestingly, the Kenyan lion I painted on my mural seems to be in dialogue with the Swedish lion sculpture nearby."

***

"Tree of Life" is only the second mural Berezina has created. The first was a bus stop in the village of Valguta, Tartu County, during the 2024 Rural Urban Art (RUA) festival, which she also redecorated in the Ukrainian Petrykivka style.

However, creating murals is completely different from her usual artistic endeavors.

"A mural is always big, so you have to think about proportions to make sure the elements don't feel too small in the space," she says, adding that it is also "important to integrate the mural into its environment."

"The organizers chose a really great spot – right next to a park. I can already imagine how the mural will come alive in summer when everything turns green. I definitely want to come back and see it then."

When working outdoors, there are plenty of external factors to consider, too

"The weather, the interactions with people – all of it pushes you out of your comfort zone. This project taught me that working in spring [in Narva] is too extreme," Berezina explains. "There were sunny days when I worked as much as possible, but also days with freezing wind and temperatures around 1 to 3°C. After 8 or 9 hours outside, I'd have to come home and warm up in a hot bath. Next time: only summer!"

Whatever the weather, Berezina describes the experience of painting "Tree of Life" in Narva as "extremely meaningful."

While working, she says she "often talked with people about the concept behind the mural, about Elizabeth's work, and how deeply I'm inspired by nature. It sparked genuine curiosity. I think this was my main goal – to use art as a way to share important ideas and messages."

"When I feel the purpose behind what I'm doing, I give it everything I've got," Berezina says. "Even in the toughest conditions."

***

Viktoria Berezina's "Tree of Life" mural will be officially unveiled on Tuesday, April 8 at 5.30 p.m. in Narva at Madise tänav 13b.

---

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!