On August 21, 2025, at 12:00, the Museum of War will present the exhibition project “MONUMENT”. It is an artistic view of the modern history of Ukraine’s most famous sculpture – the Motherland Monument – and its symbolic transformation during the war.
After February 24, 2022, the “steel woman” towering over the Dnipro, like a mother-protector, became a figurative embodiment of the resilience of the Ukrainian people. Since then, a process of rethinking the sculpture began in society.
The culmination of this path came on August 6, 2023, when the Soviet emblem on the shield was replaced with the Symbol of the Princely State of Volodymyr the Great – Tryzub (the Trident). This moment finally affirmed the Motherland Monument as the embodiment of struggle and steadfastness of our people.
The exhibition combines documentary accuracy and artistic vision. Photographer Denys Semenets captured the monument in an era of historical change, while graphic designer Vadym Blonskyi gave its image new meanings that have already captivated millions on social media.
The exposition is an intermediate stage in the three-year process of redefining the monument. It allows us to look back at what has already been done, to feel the present moment, and to reflect on what the Motherland Monument will be in the future. It is a view of the sculpture through the prism of war and the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people.
Concept Author: Yurii Savchuk, Director General of the Museum of War
Curator: Liudmyla Melnyk, Head of the Museum’s Communication and Information Department
Participants: Vadym Blonskyi @vadym.blonsky, graphic designer
Denys Semenets @sstenemes, photographer
The project was implemented with the support of LONA PRIST
