Nikas Safronov presented a unique vision of the Motherland Calls monument at SPIEF 2025

On June 18, People's Artist of Russia Nikas Safronov presented an original concept for The Motherland Calls monument on Mamayev Kurgan, investing it with special meanings and contemporary technologies. The art object became part of his authorial design for the SPIEF 2025 space.

Together with the Roscongress Foundation, Nikas Safronov created a large-scale project dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory, where traditional art meets digital solutions. Its central idea is to reinterpret the memory of the Great Patriotic War and the heroism of previous generations through a contemporary artistic language.

For the first time at SPIEF, classical art was united with the possibilities of artificial intelligence so forum participants could see the symbols of wartime memory in a new way.

"The 80th anniversary of Victory is a special date that inspired me to create this project together with the Foundation. SPIEF has long become a unique platform where the past, present, and future of our country meet. This project is a symbol of memory," Nikas Safronov noted.

One of the central works was the diptych The Motherland: Light and Silence, created after Nikas Safronov visited Mamayev Kurgan. The artist presented the monument in two contrasting yet harmonious states: solemn daylight and mysterious night silence.

Artificial intelligence, accessed through a QR code, helps the viewer immerse themselves more deeply in the work and feel its emotions more acutely.

"There are many meanings in this work: strength of spirit and fragility of peace, the joy of victory and the silence of memory. It seems to me that no one has created such a Motherland before — at once epic and tender, courageous and caring," Nikas Safronov said.

Another vivid element of the SPIEF 2025 design was the interactive installation Flight Over Russia — silhouettes of cranes seemingly soaring above the forum. Each bird contains an artistic image of a significant World War II memorial painted by Nikas and animated with neural networks.

"For me it is important to convey that art is not a museum but the heart of the Russian people. Memory is not a date on the calendar or an event from a history textbook, but feelings that live within us. As long as we feel, remember, and think, our people live and will live forever," the artist said.