Soviet ban on memory: exhibition of unrealized memorial of Babi Yar from 1965 opens in Kyiv

“Returning our own past and dismantling the myths created by the Soviet authorities about the Holocaust is one of the strategic directions of the National Historical and Memorial Preserve Babyn Yar,” said its director, Roza Tapanova, in her opening speech.
She emphasized that the 1965 competition was a hope for the community to honor the victims, but Soviet censorship only imitated dialogue.
Eventually, the authorities canceled the competition, and in 1976, a state-commissioned monument was created and installed: “Monument to Soviet citizens and POWs of the Soviet Army executed by the Nazi occupiers in Babyn Yar.”
“The Soviet authorities rewrote history and silenced the facts. This exhibition is a reproduction of our memory. As written on the facade of the exhibition center, those who do not remember are condemned to relive their history again and again. Babyn Yar is a tragic and important chapter of Ukraine’s history, which is why it was granted national memorial status. The work of its team today fully aligns with our national interest — to bring back the truth about ourselves,” added Serhiy Belyaev, Deputy Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine for Heritage Affairs.

When the World Collapses: An Exhibition That Restores the Voice of Memory

NAnews presents an overview of an event that holds deep significance for both Ukrainian and Jewish communities. The documentary exhibition titled “When the World Collapses” has opened at the “Living Memory” exhibition center at the National Historical and Memorial Preserve Babyn Yar.
The exhibition is dedicated to the memorial project of the Babyn Yar tragedy, developed in 1965 by the creative duo Ada Rybachuk and Volodymyr Melnychenko (ARVM). Soviet censorship prevented the project’s realization, but today — decades later — it has been revived and brought to light.
What the Exhibition Features
- Archival documents and texts
- Original sketches and photographs
- Restored model of the memorial
- A video installation by director Oleksiy Radynsky — a cinematic reconstruction of the memorial route
The materials were provided by the ARVM Cultural Heritage Preservation Fund and reflect the artists’ effort to create a language of remembrance that conveys the scale of the tragedy and honors its victims.
Censorship and Silence: The Story of an Unrealized Project
In 1965, an architectural competition was announced for a monument to the victims of fascism in the Shevchenkivskyi District of Kyiv. Among the participants were prominent architects and artists, including Avraham Miletskyi, Yosyp Karakis, Yakiv Razhba, Yevhen Zhovnerovskyi, Albert Kryzhopilskyi, and the duo ARVM. The competition was eventually canceled, and in 1976 a faceless monument was erected that fit the Soviet narrative of silencing the Holocaust.
ARVM: Artists Ahead of Their Time
Ada Rybachuk (1931–2010) and Volodymyr Melnychenko (1932–2023) were Ukrainian artists who worked together for more than 50 years. Their joint projects — from the design of the Kyiv Central Bus Station to the Memory Park at Baikove Cemetery — became landmarks of Ukrainian monumental art.
In 1982, the authorities ordered the concrete burial of their Memory Wall, a 2,000 m² relief — an act of direct destruction of historical and artistic truth.
Curatorial Work and Approach to Memory
The curatorial team — Maria Mizina, Anastasiia Paseka, and Mykhailo Alekseenko — shared their experience of six months of archival research, digitization, and the restoration of the model.
“ARVM were not simply building a monument. They were creating an experience — a memorial as a personal journey,” noted Paseka.
Director Oleksiy Radynsky added that the video installation provides a strong sense of presence, allowing the viewer to walk the path designed by the artists themselves.
Quotes That Shape the Message
Roza Tapanova, Director of the Preserve: “Returning our past and dismantling Soviet myths about the Holocaust is a key part of our mission.”
Serhiy Belyaev, Deputy Minister of Culture: “The Soviet regime rewrote history and buried the facts. This exhibition revives our collective memory.”
Inokentiy Vyrovyi, ARVM Fund representative: “The project was forgotten for decades. But Ada and Volodymyr always believed the truth would prevail.”
Why This Matters
Babyn Yar is a symbol of the Holocaust on Ukrainian soil. Over 33,000 Jews were murdered here in just two days in September 1941. The attempt to erase this crime failed, and exhibitions like “When the World Collapses” restore historical justice.
For Israelis of Ukrainian origin, this is not only a part of personal history but also an opportunity to strengthen ties between the Jewish and Ukrainian peoples. That is why NAnews — Israel News covers events like this one.
Facts and Figures
Parameter
Value
Exhibition Title
“When the World Collapses”
Location
Living Memory Center, 46A Yuriy Illienko Street, Kyiv
Dates
May 29 – July 31, 2025
Admission
Free
Opening Hours
Mon–Fri: 10:00–19:00, Sat–Sun: 11:00–19:00
Organizers
ARVM Fund, Ukrainian House National Center, Dukat Art Foundation, Living Memory Center, Clear Energy Group
NAnews — Israel News will continue to report on projects where culture and history unite peoples and challenge the falsification of the past. Because without truth about the Holocaust, there can be no genuine memory — not in Ukraine, not in Israel, and not anywhere in the world. https://nikk.agency/en/soviet-ban/