ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Polina Rayko's mural-covered home in Ukraine destroyed by dam flood

cultural-heritage · 2026-04-24

In Oleshky, Kherson oblast, the residence of self-taught Ukrainian artist Polina Rayko has been devastated by flooding caused by the bombing of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant dam on the Dnipro River. Tetyana Filevska, the creative director of the Ukrainian Institute, shared the news of the destruction on social media. The Honchar Museum in Kyiv had previously alerted on June 7 about the potential danger to the property. After experiencing the loss of her son, daughter, and abusive husband, Rayko, who passed away in 2004, adorned her small home with murals featuring angels, saints, and various animals. This artistic endeavor turned the house into a local attraction and later earned it the status of a national cultural monument in Ukraine, ensuring its legal protection.

Key facts

  • Polina Rayko's home in Oleshky, Kherson oblast, was destroyed by floods.
  • Flooding resulted from the bombing of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant dam.
  • Tetyana Filevska, creative director of the Ukrainian Institute, reported the destruction.
  • The Honchar Museum in Kyiv warned about the risk on June 7.
  • Rayko was a self-taught Ukrainian artist who died in 2004.
  • She covered her house with murals after personal tragedies.
  • The house was a local tourist attraction and a national cultural monument.

Entities

Artists

  • Polina Rayko

Institutions

  • Ukrainian Institute
  • Honchar Museum

Locations

  • Oleshky
  • Kherson oblast
  • Ukraine
  • Dnipro River
  • Kyiv

Sources