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 vibrant city, where water and engineering heritage are not frozen monuments, but part of a dynamic present. The central element was the stylized design of the Shukhov Tower, made in a bright, almost neon palette. This allowed the viewer to see the "soul" of old metal through modern colors. The use of a wide range of colors (from deep ultramarine to sunny yellow) symbolized the versatility of Mykolaiv as a "city on water". Even in 2016, in peacetime, this mural reminded of the importance of preserving man-made objects that ensure the life of the city. The Test of Time This mural is of exceptional value due to its durability. At the time of the start of the water crisis in April 2022, Slepukha's work was already six years old. The paints, somewhat faded under the scorching southern sun, became a metaphor for an exhausted but not broken city. When the site near the Shukhov Tower turned into one of the main gathering points for residents in queues for water, the mural of 2016 became a visual reference point for them. People standing with empty eggplants saw a bright version of their tower on the wall — a reminder that Mykolaiv was and remains a city where water is a value. The very story of the mural near the Shukhov Tower proves that art in Mykolaiv began to prepare the ground for ecological reflection long before this problem became critical. Dmytro Slepukha's work is the foundation on which other art objects later grew. This is evidence that the cultural code of Mykolaiv has always been inextricably linked with water. The mural, which withstood the winds and shelling, is today not just a decoration, but a "senior witness" of our struggle for water — from peace initiatives in 2016 to survival strategies in 2026. 107