A unique exhibition awaits you in the gallery on the 1st floor of the Research Library (Rävala ave 10), taking you on a journey through time via the manhole covers of Mariupol. The exhibition is open until October 11 and showcases manhole covers photographed on the streets of Mariupol in October 2021, just before the tragic events in the city.
Mariupol had many major metal industries and obviously they manufactured manhole covers.
Before the standardisation undertaken in the USSR in 1947, many Ukrainian cities had developed their own traditions and design schools when it came to producing manhole covers. As you can see in the exhibition photos, the manhole covers of Mariupol had a distinct style.
However, the covers of many other cities were represented on the streets of Mariupol. Post-war Mariupol will be a completely different city. Many backyards and alleys will still have pre-war manhole covers and under these covers, former Mariupol will be preserved.
Don’t miss the opportunity and visit the exhibition!
Read more: Andres Siplas’s works “Mariupol: linn, mida enam ei ole” (2023) and “Luukide vaatlemisest” (2021).