A Skovoroda Fountain made of 20-ton Brazilian granite, created at the initiative of Denys Paramonov, has appeared in Ukraine

A unique Skovoroda Fountain has appeared in Ukraine — a four-meter sculptural composition made from a 20-ton block of Brazilian granite and bronze was ceremonially unveiled in Bila Tserkva on 26 September. The prototype of the art object is a drawing by the philosopher himself. The sculpture was created and gifted to the community by the Denys Paramonov Charitable Foundation. This is reported on the foundation’s website. Present at the unveiling of the Skovoroda Fountain were Deputy Head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration Zhanna Osypenko, Acting Mayor of Bila Tserkva Volodymyr Vovkotrub, philanthropist Denys Paramonov, Ukrainian philosopher and theologian Oleksandr Filonenko, and a representative of the Bila Tserkva Historians’ Association, Yevhen Chernetskyi. The idea to create the Skovoroda Fountain belongs to the founder of the Charitable Foundation — Denys Paramonov. The project was conceived for the 300-anniversary of Hryhorii Skovoroda’s birth, which was celebrated in 2022, but the composition’s implementation had to be postponed due to the full-scale invasion. “The history of this fountain began in 2021. That’s when we turned to the sculptor, Honored Sculptor of Ukraine, Oleksandr Reva. We designed the fountain for two years, and then spent another two years producing it in Dnipro. In total this project required 5 years of joint work by the charitable foundation, the sculptor, the craftsmen, and the city community. The work of Hryhorii Skovoroda has long resonated in my heart. That is why I systematically and steadily support a number of initiatives related to the name of this outstanding Ukrainian philosopher,” said philanthropist Denys Paramonov. The central element of the sculptural composition is the “seed of life,” which symbolizes Skovoroda’s philosophical idea of a source from which grace is equally available to everyone, regardless of the size of the “vessel,” meaning the person who receives it. The structure has an unusual engineering solution: only the middle part of the “seed” weighs 7,5 tons, and this entire mass is supported at a single point, which is a unique solution that required nonstandard approaches to execution. A special diamond cable was used to process the granite elements; carving the seed and the base took about 30 continuous hours. The author of the work is Honored Artist of Ukraine, sculptor Mykhailo Reva. “It is extremely gratifying that even in wartime, in such difficult times, there are people who bring to life things that will fill and attract people. I am confident that this fountain, which has deep philosophical meaning, will become an ornament of the city. I am sure there will always be many children and parents here. Thank you, Mr. Denys, for supporting education, culture, and medicine in the city, and for finding the opportunity to implement artistic projects. People need to see beauty; people need positive emotions in these hard times,” said Zhanna Osypenko, Deputy Head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration. The creation of the Skovoroda Fountain became part of the “Cultural_code” project of the Denys Paramonov Charitable Foundation. By transferring the composition to the community, the Foundation plans to make it part of Bila Tserkva’s public space and a place connected with Hryhorii Skovoroda’s cultural and philosophical heritage, which will become another tourist magnet. “I believe this fountain will truly become a place where, first of all, our children will gather. This place will be a source of reboot for everyone, where we will receive positive emotions from interacting with one another and watch our children grow. Such objects help us slightly divert from the everyday reality in which we live. I want to thank Mr. Denys Paramonov. Thank you for what you do. I am sure this is not the last project in our community,” emphasized Acting Mayor of Bila Tserkva Volodymyr Vovkotrub. According to philosopher Oleksandr Filonenko, it is a miracle that this fountain, created in the form of a seed, is “planted” right here in Bila Tserkva. “Now all Ukrainian cities are seeking their future. This is not an easy task, because we know that not all cities will be the same as they were before the war. Therefore it is very important that the symbol of the new Ukraine as a seed is ‘planted’ right here in Bila Tserkva. It is also very important that the fountain’s four vessels are us. And the quality of our life depends on what fills us. One vessel is the vessel of thought, the next is the vessel of art, another vessel is the vessel of faith, and the fourth is the vessel of will. These are the four types of people Ukraine needs today. If a city is strong, it will certainly have people of will, thought, art, feeling, and faith,” said Oleksandr Filonenko. The sculptural composition “Skovoroda Fountain” can be seen in the renovated square in the Pishchanyi neighborhood. The area’s landscaping was also carried out with the participation of the Denys Paramonov Charitable Foundation and its partner — Kyiv Meat Processing Plant. Reference The Denys Paramonov Charitable Foundation was founded on 30 July 2020. Since then the foundation has implemented over 100 projects and programs in the fields of historical and cultural work, scientific and educational initiatives, medical and wellness, human rights, social services, spiritual activity, and physical culture and sports. Under the “HEALTHY” program the foundation provided high-cost medical equipment to over 800 hospitals. Much attention is given to the development of sports. Thanks to the Denys Paramonov Charitable Foundation, almost one thousand children can participate free of charge in boxing, football, rowing, or dance. The foundation also published 6 books with a total print run of 5000 copies, which were sent free of charge to libraries in Ukraine and abroad. Previously “FACTS” reported that doctors save the lives of defenders thanks to equipment provided by the Denys Paramonov Foundation and the youth initiative charitable foundation “Nadiia.”