Painting by Khustom carols walk, artist Orest Tsyupko

• Artist: Orest Tsiupko
• Title: “Khustom Kolyada Walks”
• Year: Not specified
• Dimensions: 60 × 80 cm
• Materials: canvas, acrylic
• Technique: acrylic painting on canvas
• Original hand-painted artwork.

“Khustom Kolyada Walks” is a fantastical cityscape by Orest Tsiupko, in which a winter city becomes a setting for Christmas wonder. A deep blue sky stretches above old houses and church towers, while luminous figures resembling angels appear along the boundary between the earthly and heavenly realms. Unusual ladders extending into the darkness and scattered points of starlike light lend the composition a mysterious quality, transforming a recognizable urban scene into an image rich in symbolic meaning.

The composition is structured around a contrast between horizontal and vertical lines. A broad expanse of night sky occupies the upper part of the canvas, while the lower section is filled with closely grouped buildings, snow-covered rooftops, towers, domes, and narrow streets. The vertical forms of the church architecture echo the elongated figures and ladders, establishing visual connections between different levels of the image. A winding road on the right guides the eye into the depth of the painting, while small points of light enliven the scene and emphasize its festive character.

The palette is dominated by deep blue, ultramarine, light blue, and turquoise. The dark sky contrasts with the lighter surfaces of the buildings and the snow-covered areas. White and icy blue accents highlight architectural details, while golden domes introduce warm notes into the composition. This combination of cool colors and localized warm accents evokes a frosty winter night filled with an inner glow.

The artist uses simplified forms, expressive outlines, and loose brushwork. The architecture remains recognizable, although some buildings take on a stylized, almost fairytale-like character. The trees are particularly expressive: their dark branches form intricate graphic patterns against the blue rooftops and snow. The textured painted surface and the interplay of broad color fields with fine lines give the composition a sense of movement without disturbing the overall stillness of the night.

The fantastical figures above the city play an important role in the painting’s meaning. Their luminous silhouettes suggest intermediaries between the earthly and heavenly worlds. The ladders rising toward the horizon reinforce this idea, evoking a path beyond ordinary reality. The star-like lights recall a festive night sky, while the old city’s architecture connects the fantastical vision with a cultural setting in which Christmas customs retain a special significance.

The painting combines elements of Symbolism and Surrealism. Symbolism emerges through the multiple meanings of the imagery: the city becomes more than a setting, suggesting a space of spiritual anticipation, while the luminous figures and ladders acquire metaphorical significance. Surrealist qualities appear in the combination of recognizable architecture with elements that challenge ordinary perceptions of space. As a result, the scene resembles a dream or fantastical vision in which the everyday world reveals an unexpected dimension.

The title “Khustom Kolyada Walks” connects the painting with the Ukrainian Christmas tradition of kolyada, or caroling. Rather than depicting a literal procession of carolers, the work offers an imaginative interpretation of the celebration, in which the earthly world becomes filled with a sense of wonder. The winter city, heavenly figures, and star-filled space combine to create an artistic image of cultural memory, spiritual anticipation, and the festive transformation of the world.

The painting can become a striking focal point in a contemporary interior. It is well suited to a living room, study, library, or creative space, particularly where the decor includes light walls, natural wood, gray surfaces, and deep blue tones. In a minimalist interior, the artwork draws attention through its saturated colors and unusual subject, while in a space featuring Ukrainian folk-inspired details, it emphasizes the connection between contemporary art and national cultural traditions.

This original work by Ukrainian artist Orest Tsiupko will appeal to collectors of contemporary Ukrainian art and admirers of paintings that reinterpret folk traditions through fantastical imagery and symbolic language. “Khustom Kolyada Walks” invites viewers to see the winter city as a space between reality and imagination, where architecture, light, and heavenly figures come together in an image of Christmas wonder.