Visit the Museum of Food and Agricultural Machinery
Exhibition Ukraine: Fields of Plough, Fields of War
Date:26. 9. 2023 – 31. 7. 2024
Addressing a pressing contemporary issue, the exhibition will present diverse perspectives on Ukrainian agriculture. Visitors will gain valuable insights into the structure and scale of agriculture in Ukraine and its importance to both local and global economies. Prior to the outbreak of the war, Ukraine was widely known as the “granary of the Soviet Union” or “the granary of the world”, playing a crucial role in securing European and world supplies of various agricultural commodities.
Ukraine: Fields of Plough, Fields of War
However, the occupation of eastern territories, frequent shelling of civilian infrastructure across the country, naval blockade of Black Sea ports and the opening of European markets to Ukrainian crops have significantly altered buyer-supplier relations and led to price fluctuations across different parts of the world.
The exhibition titled “Ukraine: Fields of Plough, Fields of War” is part of the Ministry of Interior’s project called “Putin’s Hunger”. It provides an immersive experience by transporting visitors to Ukraine, where the ongoing war conflict is affecting daily life. The exhibition will feature authentic wrecks of agricultural equipment from the Chernihiv Region, including a combine harvester, tractor and seed drill, symbolizing the impact of the violent conflict on agriculture and the people involved. Through personal stories connected to the destroyed machinery, the exhibition will depict the situation in Ukraine in the spring of 2022. Additionally, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the damaged farms through virtual reality experiences created by Ondřej Moravec and Volodymyr Kolbasa.
Volodymyr Kolbasa is also involved in the exhibition titled “Disarmament”, in which the concept of war is depicted through creative and exaggerated elements of gameplay. Selected interactive items from this exhibition will become part of our display.
The project’s title reflects the targeted form of hybrid warfare conducted by contemporary Russia, making us direct participants. This state of affairs may lead to new waves of famine and subsequent migration in some regions of the world. The exhibition also aims to serve as a reminder of the tragedies associated with famines that occurred in Ukraine and other parts of the USSR in the course of the 20th century. Furthermore, it will seek to establish a connection with Ostrava, as Vítkovice Ironworks and its affiliated companies have undertaken significant projects in Ukraine in the past century, demonstrating our countries’ shared history of aid and support. The exhibition will be accompanied by an outdoor display of photographs.
The exhibition is provided under the auspices of the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, the Minister of the Interior of the Czech Republic, Vít Rakušan, the Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic, Martin Baxa, and the Mayor of the City of Ostrava, Jan Dohnal.
The exhibition’s title is borrowed from the work of Vladislav Vančura, a native of Háj ve Slezku, located less than 20 km from the National Museum of Agriculture in Ostrava.
| Production team: | Ivan Berger, Marta Krusberská, Štěpán Daněk, Semen Lysytskyj, Lenka Karaka |
| Art installation: | Vartan Markarian, Volodymyr Kolbasa, Vadim Makhitka |
| Virtual reality: | Volodymr Kolbasa, Ondřej Moravec, Brainz Immersive |
| Photography: | Vladimír Hostinský |
| 3D models: | Čeněk Štrichel |
| Exhibit preparation | Jakub König |
| Partner institutions: |
Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic, Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic, ČD Cargo Logistics, Rotary Club Pardubice, Agromino |
Exhibition Ukraine: Fields of Plough, Fields of War
