The City of Montreal unveiled its newest public art piece commissioned to recognize Montreal’s Ukrainian community Friday morning. While the sculpture was chosen before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it now holds an even deeper meaning for Ukrainians living in Montreal.
Artist Giorgia Volpe took inspiration for the shape of the interlacing, open ribbon sculpture from the pysanka, a Ukrainian Easter egg.
“I try to interpret this symbol and make it like interlacing. To meet, to open, open to the past but to the future,” said artist Giorgia Volpe.
The piece, titled Entrelacs, is inspired by traditions being passed down from generation to generation. Volpe designed it following consultations with the Ukrainian community, present at Friday’s inauguration.
“It’s the treasure of Ukrainian culture,” said 89-year-old Ukrainian Rosie Chomyk, who moved to Montreal when she was 16.
“There was a custom that the girl always gave to the boy for Easter.”
The art located in Ukraine Park in the Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie borough was commissioned in 2020 to recognize the presence of Ukrainians in the community for more than 100 years.
“It’s a beautiful gift that the city and the art is giving back to the Ukrainian community,” said Eugene Czolij, honorary consul of Ukraine in Montreal.
With the ongoing war in Ukraine, Czolij said the gift means even more as they fight for their country.
“This pysanka during the Easter celebrations throughout the world was exchanged by Ukrainians, including Ukrainian soldiers, as a message of hope that Ukraine will also resurrect, will also renew itself,” he said.
The egg sits in front of the Saint-Sophie Ukrainian Orthodox Church, where volunteers have been collecting donations for refugees arriving in Montreal. Czolij said the sculpture is a welcome reminder of home.
“That is very comforting for a person that arrives from a war,” he told Global News.
A reminder, that Ukrainian traditions and culture will also prevail.
“Something like this is the greatest thing, because now I think the whole world knows who Ukraine is,” said Chomyk.