Smereka sculpture

The Smereka sculptures are born from the union of two elements — earth and spirit. Black porcelain, like a frozen cosmic abyss, travels a long path: from the finest dust through a soft, pliable substance to a granite-like solidity. It carries the trace of the fire from which it emerged, preserving within its transformation the memory of endurance and of form made eternal. In the stone-like strength of this material, fragility remains — a reminder of the tenderness of matter captured in eternity. The shape of Smereka is a symbol of Ukrainian identity. Its inspiration comes from the trembita — a unique Ukrainian musical instrument traditionally made from the trunks of spruce trees growing in the Carpathian Mountains. This wood possesses remarkable acoustic properties; instruments made from it can produce tones comparable to the violins of Stradivari. The upper part of each sculpture is a horizontal disc where the artist unites symbols and meanings. It evokes both the solar circle and the saintly halo — yet it also resembles a felled tree, a sign of finality, transition, and balance. According to Carpathian legend, some spruce trees grow with branches pointing downward while others reach upward, balancing the energies of the earth and the cosmos. These trees are like the planet’s living antennas, sensing the breath of the world. They are the breath between inhalation and exhalation, the still point where the earth and the sky touch.