Plus two! “Liberty bell” and “Swan Lake” – new mini-sculptures in Uzhgorod

Two new attractions have appeared in Uzhgorod. "Liberty bell" and "Swan Lake" became the 29th and the 30th mini-sculptures in the city.

The author Mykhailo Kolodko says: December 2 has a special significance for both sculptures. First of all, it is the birthday of Hryhoriy Zhatkovych, the first governor of Transcarpathia (Subcarpathian Rus as part of Czechoslovakia), and on December 2nd, 1920, the Liberty Bell was shown in Uzhgorod. So, the sculpture "Liberty bell" is devoted to this object and this person.

"Also, December 2, 1991 was the day when Ukraine was recognized as an independent state by first countries," – Mykhailo Kolodko says, and this is has to do with the "Swan Lake".        

"There was also a working title "Do not switch to another channel!", but there was no channel to switch to, as all channels were showing this ballet when the known events happened. There were many different shows of the "Swan Lake" ballet in different periods, but I remembered only the one, when the Soviet Union collapsed and our state was formed. It would seem that it was the time to say something to people, to give information, but they just showed the ballet, and it was disrespectful and outrageous. With this piece, I wanted to mark the period of the Soviet Union, its collapse and the beginning of our independent state. And a passer-by, who will not just see the sculpture, but also ponder over it, should understand it and receive food for thought," – the sculptor says.

"As for the "Liberty bell". There was an idea to reproduce this "Liberty Bell" in full size, because its dimensions are known… But we realized that the sculpture will be too large, and can be politically controversial, so we decided to continue the series of mini-sculptures and show this story in this romantic and even humorous format. This page of the history of our region deserves to be marked, people should know that the first governor brought this "Liberty Bell", a symbol of America, to us from Philadelphia, and that it was in Uzhgorod and they tried to achieve something with it, but it did not work out, and Zhatkovych flew back to where he had come from. That is why he has wings, and the sculpture is also about the idea that gave him wings", – Mykhailo says.