NATIONAL HOLODOMOR MEMORIAL
“FIELD OF WHEAT”

Washington, DC

At the heart of The Kurylas Studio's winning competition design is a bronze bas-relief sculpture depicting a monumentally-scaled field of wheat which - across 30 feet - transitions from highly articulated to barely visible wheat. The haunting negative space of the sculpture, with the gradual emergence of the Ukrainian term "Holodomor", is intended to convey the deliberate nature of the famine in Ukraine - a famine which was secretly engineered by the Soviet government mainly through grain confiscation. Etched into granite panels on the rear face of the sculpture is a visually engaging geometric pattern abstracted from a 1933 textile design by the famous Kyiv architect Vasyl H. Krychevsky. The angularity of the pattern creates a subtle sense of unease and its vaguely "barbed" character conjures images of sealed borders. Mainly, the use of the folk-inspired design bespeaks of the attack on Ukrainian culture which was a parallel goal of the Holodomor. The disposition of the sculpture, plaza and plantings resolves the challenging triangular geometry of the site, separating a more peaceful gathering place on Massachusetts Avenue, in front of the sculpture, from existing sidewalk cafes on F Street.

The National Holodomor Memorial was dedicated in November 2015, in a solemn ceremony attended by Maryna Poroshenko, the First Lady of Ukraine.

Design Architect: The Kurylas Studio

Architect of Record:
Hartman-Cox Architects

Press