Two art projects by TSUM Kyiv, SCM’s department store on Khreshchatyk in central Kyiv, have been recognised at the International Visual Competition 2026, held by the American trade publication VMSD (Visual Merchandising + Store Design). The spring 2025 windows, created with Ukrainian illustrator Maria Foya, took first place in the Creative Visions visual art competition. The autumn 2025 windows, dedicated to the artists Alla Horska and Viktor Zaretsky, received a special jury award. Both projects were designed and produced by the store's own creative team in Kyiv during the war.
What has TSUM Kyiv won?
TSUM Kyiv received two awards at the International Visual Competition 2026, judged by VMSD (Visual Merchandising + Store Design), a US trade publication with more than a century of history. One award was first place in the Creative Visions visual art competition, for the spring 2025 window series. The second was a special jury award for the autumn 2025 windows, entered as the TSUM Kyiv Art Season, "Kaleidoscope of an Era". The results were published in the July/August 2026 issue of VMSD.
What is the story behind the spring windows?
The spring 2025 series, "Spring Window Displays: The Depth of Water", was created in partnership with the Kyiv-based illustrator Maria Foya. It is a visual story about returning to oneself through the depths of the inner world. Water is the main motif, standing for self-reflection, quiet and transformation. The seven windows each represent a different stage of an emotional journey, with underwater landscapes and marine creatures used to convey different emotional states. Each window carried its own story while contributing to a single narrative.
How were the windows made?
The team turned the digital illustrations by Ms Foya into large-scale sculptural elements. Oversized whales, jellyfish, manta rays, shells and seaweed were so large that many pieces had to be assembled directly inside the windows. Materials included sand, cords and sequined fabrics, and halved Christmas ornaments were reworked into octopus tentacles. A custom blue sand, developed by the creative team through experimentation, became a defining feature.
"This project reinforced the idea that design can communicate powerful emotions through symbolism rather than explicit messaging," said Vera Bublevskaya, Creative Department Specialist and Creative Manager at TSUM Kyiv. "It demonstrated the value of creating space for personal interpretation and showed how visual storytelling can encourage reflection and emotional connection."
Why do the autumn windows matter for Ukrainian culture?
The autumn 2025 windows were dedicated to Alla Horska and Viktor Zaretsky, two artists of the Sixtiers movement. Ms Horska and Mr Zaretsky helped create a new language of Ukrainian monumental art, joining the power of the image to ideas of freedom, dignity and national identity. Seven windows were inspired by their paintings. They are not museum replicas but a new reading: a contemporary visual interpretation of the images, colours and life of the two artists.
What is TSUM Kyiv?
In 2016, after four years of intensive reconstruction, the Kyiv Central Mall (TSUM) reopened on the capital's main thoroughfare, Khreshchatyk. The multi-million dollar transformation converted a Soviet-era building into a world-class, multi-story department store. TSUM Kyiv continues to support young artists and Ukraine's cultural heritage.
