Hedgehog

"Hedgehogs" symbolizes a line of defense in the broadest sense, exploring the concept of protection during wartime on both a national and personal level. The anti-tank hedgehog, a stark and recognizable image, became an immediate symbol of defense, public mobilization, and resilience from the first days of the full-scale invasion. This series of 25 ceramic sculptures allegorically reinterprets the anti-tank hedgehog as a symbol of resistance and strength, representing each of Ukraine’s 24 regions and Crimea.

Beyond the wartime context, the series also evokes the natural symbolism of the hedgehog, an animal historically associated with victory and survival. In folklore, hedgehogs are known as snake-fighters, defeating creatures that represent deception and betrayal. This dual imagery—the hedgehog as both an animal and a defensive structure—awakens deep subconscious symbolic associations of protection, endurance, and ultimate triumph.