The Forged Figures Park is celebrating its 10th anniversary on the Donetsk City Day. Over the years the Park has become an excellent resting place and tourist attraction of the city. It is one of the most favourie and visited places for the city citizens and guests.
History steps
2001 – Donetsk City Council supported an idea of the Ukrainian Gefest blacksmiths enterprise’s director Victor Burduk to create the Forged Figures Park in the public garden near the Council. There were 11 figures installed in the Park.
2004 – The VI Donetsk Blacksmiths Art Festival became All-Ukrainian. In course of this festival it was decided to create the Union of Masters of Blacksmiths Art in Ukraine.
2005 – The Park started to develop not only with separate sculptures but with alleys of figures. The first Zodiac Signs Alley appeared in the Park. The first Ukrainian blacksmiths heptathlon championship.
2007 – Despite the tradition the IX International Forged Figures Park Blacksmiths Art Festival was held on the third weekend of September. There were 150 masters from 10 countries participating in it. Total number of figures in the Park was 100.
2008 – Donetsk became the first city in the post Soviet states accepted as a member of the Ring of European Cities with Iron Works. The Park is recognized to be a unique one in Europe.
2009 – The Beloved City Alley was opened in honour of the 140th anniversary of Donetsk. It was the first alley that wasn’t finished in the course of the festival. The Forged Roses sculpture – five meter high – was presented to the city and installed on Artema Street in front of the City Council.
2010 – At the XII International Forged Figures Park Blacksmiths Art Festival the official web-site of the Park was launched (www.pkf.donbass-name.ru).
Anniversary year – 2011
The Forged Figures Park is celebrating its 10th birthday. There are 144 figures there.
April. The Associations Alley, the Architectural Copies Alley, the Miner’s Glory Alley and the Donbass Citizens Alley are approved. All these alleys will be developed regardless of festivals’ schedule. The web-site of the XIII Festival was launched (www.pkf-13.donbass-name.ru).
It was decided to enrich the cultural programme of the Forged Figures Park Festival with an exhibition of craftsmen of different areas (the Craftsmen Alley), a music contest (the Rock Smithy) and other creative areas in order to encourage different kinds of art.
June. The Honoured Master of Arts of Ukraine Victor Burduk was distinguished by the Donetsk Architecture and City Planning Administration for a major contribution to the city image forming.
The Associations Alley was in development.
August. Donetsk delegation is going to visit Lipniki (Czech Republic) where it is planned to discuss creation of the Blacksmiths Art Centre in Donetsk and the main topic of the XIV International Blacksmiths Art Festival – Forged Figures Park (Donetsk, 2012) – the European Bunch. The Donbass Blacksmiths Guild will accept the banner of the Ring of European Cities with Iron Works as symbol of the future festival.
September. The XIII International Forged Figures Park Blacksmiths Art Festival will take place. Its creative theme is blacksmiths and superstitions. 13 figures are planned to be installed.