Remembering Through 1,000 Days: A Call to Stand With Ukraine
Overview
"Pavuky for a Thousand Days" is a community-engaged art installation that marks a sombre milestone: 1,000 days since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Led by community arts facilitator & folk artist Bozena Hrycyna, this project brings together traditional Ukrainian craftsmanship with collective memory and healing.
The Installation
The piece will comprise 83 traditional Ukrainian pavuky (singular: pavuk), together incorporating 1,000 pieces of straw – each piece marking a day of Ukrainian resistance. A pavuk, meaning "spider" in Ukrainian, is a traditional straw mobile that has deep cultural significance in many traditional agrarian cultures, including Ukrainian.
These geometric straw mobiles have served as protective talismans in Ukrainian peasant homes. Traditionally believed to trap negative energy, pavuky are seen as benevolent guardians that bring blessings and good fortune to the household. Their web-like structure, crafted from harvest straw, represents the interconnectedness of community and the cycle of life.
Community Engagement
From November 12-18, participants are invited to join Bozhena Hrycyna at SVI for drop-in sessions (date and times TBA), where they can contribute to making the pavuky as part of this powerful commemorative piece. Bozena will work on the main pavuk installation from Friday, November 15 to November 18, with open weekday drop-in times for participants to assist in creating the 1,000-piece straw installation.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to add their own pavuk during the SVI Holiday Market. Once completed, the installation will be on display beginning November 19 as part of the #StandWithUkraine campaign on the 1,000th day of the all-out invasion.
Drop-in on Thursday, November 14 from 2 – 6 PM