Mitryasova, O. CHRONICLES OF THIRST: DOCUMENTING MYKOLAIV'S WATER SECURITY CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS IN A WAR-AFFECTED CITY: Monograph. Mykolaiv: PMBSNU, 2026, 124 p.

CHRONICLES OF THIRST: DOCUMENTING MYKOLAIV'S WATER SECURITY CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS IN A WAR-AFFECTED CITY In the center of the composition is a stylized tree, each detail of which is a coded security sign: The flower of life is the central element, symbolizing the continuity of the community's existence even in the driest times. The guardian Chur is an ancient symbol of the border and protection of one's own territory. In 2022, the "Chur" on the wall in the Korabelnyi district was perceived as a spiritual checkpoint protecting the district from invaders and infrastructural chaos. Protective signs are special graphic elements that, according to the tradition of Taurian painting, invoked grace and water. Water as a sacred element of the "Tree" Although the mural does not directly depict eggplants or cranes, it is imbued with the theme of water through its palette and origin. Tavrian painting is the "blue blood" of Mykolaiv. The blue, blue and ultramarine colors of the mural at a time when fresh water was scarce acted on the subconscious of the inhabitants as a visual oasis. The "Tree of Life" became a metaphor for Mykolaiv himself: deep roots (the history of the Admiralty and the Navy), a strong trunk (the resilience of people) and bright flowers (faith in rebirth). When the roots of a tree do not receive enough moisture from the soil, it begins to look for it in the depths of the spirit — this is exactly what happened to Mykolaiv residents during the war years. Social synergy The story of the creation of the "Tree of Life" is also a story about the horizontal connections that saved the city. The sources recorded a touching detail: the artists stored their equipment and paints in the garage of a local resident, Tamara Mykolaivna. This detail is not just an everyday fact, but a symbol of how art united people. The paint for the mural —10 liters of acrylic and enamel —was purchased with the support of patrons (including Mykola Marinov), but the community provided a physical place for the project. The "Tree of Life" in the Korabelny district became proof that the water danger could not dry up the creative potential of the city. On the contrary, it forced artists to turn to the oldest layers of folk culture to find symbols of survival there. 102