The real subject design of the world level was presented in Kharkov to the whole cultural world for the ninth time. The ninth design festival Vodoparad took place in the city. It was one of the brightest events in the cultural life of the modern Ukraine.

About fifty designers and architects presented their works concerning relations between a human and water within the concept “Transformation”. Both art experts and visitors enjoyed the exposition of the project, where students together with the famous creators took part traditionally in.

Perfect minimalism, a fascinating art and a true function, all these things were presented within the festival Vodoparad this year. The designers gave free play to their imagination while revealing the theme. Variations of the ideas of shape, bold colour and light elaborations and even the transformation of the very nature into imaginary objects for washing were presented in the objects of Vodoparad.

The participants had done their best not in vain as the peculiarity of the project in 2009 was the unusual jury. For the first time in the history of the Ukrainian design the works by our designers were evaluated by the real legends and masters from the western countries, who were famous throughout the world. The star jury was headed by Adolf Babel, who was one of the main apologists in the modern world industrial design.

The jury members admitted that, it was not so easy to select. But even the works, selected by the foreign guests, showed the variety of the Ukrainian design. The jury members distinguished the object EMO by Andrey Nikishin and Oleg Vereshchagin for pure functionality and modernity, the art work MILK AND HONEY by Inna Pedan for lyric kindness, and the object BOTANIKA by Tat’yana Yershova and Andrey Guliy for breath-taking lightness and a “cool approach”. The object SPHERE by Asya Artyomova and Roman Borshchuk won among the student concepts. And the visitors choose their favorite; Vladimir Bondarenko won the Audience Choice Award with his object MUMMY, DADDY! HATS!

Once again the ninth edition of Vodoparad demonstrated the international scale of the design project, which had started in Kharkov. And when it is over we look forward to visiting a new anniversary festival! It is to be continued!