Mixed media by Julia Datchenko

In folk tradition, fish symbolize life, wisdom, silence, and the mysteries of the depths. They are associated with water—the element of memory, the beginning of the world, and fertility. In this vytynanka, fish represent silent knowledge and the depth of the soul from which words arise. A pearl is the most precious treasure, born of patience and time. It symbolizes wisdom, spiritual wealth, and words that are formed from within. In the name of the vytynanka, it represents the Ukrainian language as a treasure born from the depths of the people. The tree on the fish's body is a combination of worlds, a symbol of life that sprouts from the word. The branches are the branching of thoughts, traditions, songs, and fairy tales that grow from the linguistic root.