2023-2025
Limited edition of 12
Materials: ZTISTA (cellulose, clay, flax fibre, wood chips, and biopolymer) over a frame composed of wood and recycled cellulose. 

victoriayakusha.com

Ukrainian designer Victoria Yakusha’s limited edition collection, The Land of Light, was conceived in direct response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine to encourage people to look inside themselves and their communities for strength. During one of the darkest moments of her life, Yakusha says, “I looked within, and these mythical animals appeared in my mind’s eye like guides: Neboshyi, with his long neck that goes beyond the clouds to see our dreams, perhaps even the future. Shvydkonih has many legs, to help us move forward and rid us of fear. Sontsehryv’s beautiful mane absorbs and reflects the sun, bringing us joy. And Dovhovukh, with his long ears, listens to the world around us and to our thoughts very well. Each was designed to offer comfort, to help you find yourself and be open to the light again, so that it can illuminate the path forward with clarity. So The Land of Light is not just about Ukraine; it is for anyone in the world facing challenges. It is meant as a symbol of strength and light.”

The ongoing, handcrafted collection debuted at Design Miami/ 2023. The folkloric forms, Yakusha says, “can come across as perhaps childlike or naive animal depictions, and purposefully so, as they reflect the purity I wish to convey.” They are as well inspired in part by the concept of animism, the belief that creatures, places, and even human handiwork can possess a distinct spiritual essence. The work is hand-sculpted in Kyiv in Yakusha’s signature, sustainable material, Ztista—a blend of cellulose, clay, flax fibre, wood chips, and biopolymer conceived to one day return to nature. The material is applied using a technique similar to the traditional Ukrainian building method of valkuvannya. The pieces may be safely placed indoors or out.

“My hope is that the work will encourage the spread of light,” Yakusha notes.