Any person living in or visiting Odesa is likely to become acquainted with a rather unique character present on walls, facades, kiosks and other urban surfaces: a giant smiling cat with the signature LBWS. But who is this street-art hero?
Global Voices (GV) contacted the artist identifying themselves and their project behind the mysterious four letters via their Instagram account [1] and was told the acronym stands for the first consonant of four words in Russian: Лучше (Better), быстрее (Faster) , выше (Higher) , сильнее (Stronger). LBWS added that “This a reference to the time when we practiced sports.”
Asked about the choice of a large cat, LBWS , who is from Odesa, explains that they started in 2017, under the hashtag #animalbws, to represent animals listed as endangered, and included the European wildcat [2] who turned out to be the most popular among the public. “Besides, one of the unofficial symbols of the city of Odesa is a cat,” the artist added. Odesa is indeed known as a city of old yards and streets commonly populated with cats who are fed and well regarded by the local inhabitants.
The city is also a port and a resort center, where people sell and consume fish, and often go to the seaside and the beaches to fish themselves.
Но так как эта тема сейчас на слуху , не удивительно что наибольший отклик имеют именно военные рисунки.
Given that this topic is now getting everyone's attention, it is not surprising that drawings with a military theme get the most responses.
This LBWS cat has a sign saying Azovstal, referring to the Ukrainian steel plant that resisted the Russian invasion [5] and became a symbol of Ukraine's resilience in the war.
This one makes a reference to the beetroot soup borscht it describes as “ours,” as it is one of the most popular dishes in Ukraine.
More art is available on the LBWS Instagram account [1].