On June 25, Kyiv unveiled the artwork “Awareness”, a symbol of gratitude to the soldiers of the Territorial Defense Forces (TDF) who joined the defense of Ukraine from the first days of the full-scale invasion. The sculptural composition tells us about the internal changes that Ukrainians went through after February 24, 2022 - from fear and confusion to strength, calmness, and readiness to fight.
The artwork consists of two human faces. One of them is inverted, symbolizing fear and anxiety. The other is calm and focused, conveying inner balance. The purpose of the art object is to help people see and realize their own changes through interaction with the sculpture, to remember the path from shock and confusion to strength and unity. The first to go through this path were the people who joined the ranks of territorial defense.
The artwork was installed as part of “OKO ZA OKO” initiative, a joint project of OKKO network and “COME BACK ALIVE” Foundation for Competent Army Assistance.
This project provides the military with modern equipment and weapons. The idea to create a sculpture in gratitude to the Territorial Defense Forces arose during the second wave of the campaign - "OKO ZA OKO. Arm TDF to the teeth". The Foundation supported the idea, and the business financed its implementation.
"This is the fourth wave of this initiative, and within each wave we, together with “COME BACK ALIVE”, provide the military with weapons, equipment, reconnaissance vehicles, and cars. But we realize that support is not just about material assistance. It also means deep and sincere gratitude. We wanted to capture the contribution to the defense of the country through art. This is thanking gesture to all the members of the Territorial Defense Forces who, in the early days and still today, voluntarily stood up to defend Ukraine. It is also about honoring the memory of those who gave their lives for our freedom," said Vasyl Dmytriv, OKKO CMO.
"I would like to thank the Ukrainian Defense Forces once again for doing the impossible. OKKO has been our strategic partner for many years. In March 2023, we implemented a project for the military worth UAH 325 million, and later another one worth UAH 400 million, providing weapons to the Territorial Defense Forces. It was within the framework of this second project that the idea of the art object was born. Together we are creating a memory of those who continue to defend our country. The artwork is a symbol of gratitude and awareness of where we are and where we are going next," said Oleh Karpenko, deputy director of the Come Back Alive Foundation for Competent Assistance to the Army.
The installation was placed in a park near the Heroiv Dnipra metro station in the northern part of the capital, which became one of the key defense lines for Kyiv in February 2022. It was here that Ukrainian defenders, in particular the TDF brigades, held back the Russian offensive on Kyiv.
The opening ceremony was attended by members of the Territorial Defense Forces who were directly involved in the defense of the city at the beginning of the full-scale war.
"I remember how we took part in a public discussion of this artwork, how we debated its expediency, artistic value, and meanings. And how quickly we came to an agreement. This is an evidence of how united the community is with the Defense Forces, how conscious people are, how they are eager not to forget the contribution of the defenders. This artistic symbol reflects our emotions and feelings at the beginning of the large-scale invasion and our feelings today - unity, strength and faith in our country," said Akhtem Seitablaev, director, actor and serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to the authors, “Awareness” is a space for reflection, where everyone can look the past in the face, recall their emotions during the first weeks of the invasion, and see how fear has changed into determination.
The authors of the work are Ukrainian sculptors, brothers Yehor and Mykyta Zigura. One of their most famous artwork in Kyiv is the composition “Unity” on the Dnipro embankment.
During the full-scale war, Zigura brothers actively cooperate with volunteer artistic communities and address the theme of resistance and inner strength. Such projects include the Peaceful Sky exhibition in France (April 2023) and “Be Brave” sculpture on Pechersk.