Pyramid: a Space for Co-Creation

Concept

“Pyramid: A Space for Co-Creation” is a participatory art performance that reactivates a traditional Ukrainian Christmas craft known as pavuky — geometric structures made of rye and wheat straw.

For centuries, these lightweight forms were more than decorative objects. The pavuk was perceived as a miniature model of the Universe — a symbol of harmony, protection, and the connection between humans, home, and cosmos.

At the core of the project lies a simple yet profound idea embedded in this tradition: the fractal principle, where the Whole is composed of smaller Wholes. Each participant creates a small straw pyramid that later becomes part of a larger structure — the Great Pyramid. As the installation grows, a sense of collective authorship emerges, reflecting the ways communities are formed through interdependence, trust, and mutual support.

The project aims to explore and reanimate Ukrainian cultural heritage as an active component of the contemporary artistic landscape. Here, tradition is not treated as a static form but as a living process — a conscious model of social cohesion and a way to reconsider vernacular practices as frameworks for sustainable human coexistence.

By working with local, biodegradable materials, the project emphasizes the organic relationship between people, tradition, and nature. Through engaging with creative practices of the past, the work proposes alternative ways of thinking about ecological balance, continuity, and resilience.

Realization

The performance was realized as a one-day participatory event at the Kyiv History Museum, within the exhibition “Kyiv Amulet”.
Throughout the day, participants joined the process of co-creation, gradually assembling the collective installation through shared making and knowledge transfer.

After the performance, the completed installation remained on display in the museum space, accompanied by video documentation of the process.