Redesign of the urban environment of Poltava (Ukraine) 1991-2025

This study examines the transformation of Poltava's urban exterior from 1991 to 2025, focusing on the sculptural monuments and their impact on the city's artistic identity. It analyzes the 19th and 20th century's context, where monuments were integral to the imperial classicist city's ideological framework. The urban exterior on the eve of 1991 is characterized as a dichotomy between the Russian imperial militaristic culture and the Ukrainian national heritage. This study identifies the factors influencing on the thematic and placement of modern monuments, classifies them by the theme, location, and artistic quality, and explores the cultural shifts resulting from the addition of modern monuments and the removal of historical ones over the past 34 years. The research highlights the redesign efforts that corrected the ideological bias and balanced the urban exterior. It concludes that Poltava's artistic identity has shifted positively towards a Ukrainian-centered culture and local history, free from the remnants of its dependent past, and identifies future directions for public art in the city's ongoing redesign.