Art project by Marfa Vasilieva
Every braid is a life. A touch of pain. A touch to the heart of every Ukrainian. Pain that stays silent but lives inside us. We weave memory into the future. Where love and death are intertwined. Where love and sorrow become the fabric of history.
Discover the Project
About the Project
Thousands of braids. We weave them with our hands, children, women, grandmothers. Every braid is about someone: about family, about friends, about those who are no longer here, and about those living through war every single day.
This is the Carpet of Love and Sorrow. A living art memorial that grows alongside us. We are gathering braids from around the world. In 2028, we will unfurl the carpet on Dam Square in Amsterdam and submit it for a Guinness World Record to once again speak loudly to the world about our pain and our resistance. After that, the carpet will travel the world and return home to Ukraine. So the world can see what we feel. And what we remember.
"When I was weaving the first braid, I was thinking about a friend who died at the front. And then about his mother, who waits for a phone call every day. This carpet is not about fabric. It is a reflection of time and feeling, woven into war."— Marfa Vasilieva, Artist & VATAHA Foundation
Every braid is one life.
Imagine: thousands of stories. Hundreds of thousands of touches of love and sorrow.
This is not just art. This is a movement.
Collective art as a movement of memory. Honoring personal pain through shared action.
To show the scale of loss through a physical, woven presence — up to 20,000 m² of living memory.
To create a new form of people's memorial — a historical legacy, a charitable instrument, an international symbol of remembrance.
Braids
For someone you love. For a life that continues.
For those we have lost. For memory that lives on.
When hope and pain exist at the same time.
You can weave several braids because each one is a separate story.
How to Help?
Gather red and black textiles and cut them into ribbons (10–20 cm wide, 50–100 cm long).
Braid black, red braids or black and red braids and create a Braided Textile Square 1.5m × 1.5m.
Collect the braids and contact Marfa Vasilieva before shipping. We have storage hubs in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
Map of Memory
Not in a studio but in kitchens, museums, squares, and courtyards. Every point on the map is one more life we have not forgotten.
An interactive map is coming soon.
📍 Cities where braids have already been woven:
Kyiv, Boyarka
Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Vlaardingen, Middelburg, Maastricht, Zaandam
Metz, Tournon-sur-Rhône
Barcelona
Sintra
Oshima, Tokyo, Kyoto, Nakanojo
Guinness World Record
We are preparing to register a world record. The goal is to create the world's largest woven art memorial, up to 20,000 m² in size.
Final presentation: August 24, 2028. Everyone who weaves a braid will become part of this record. These are not just numbers. This is a story created by people.
Weave Your BraidGallery & Media
Every event brings new stories. New hands. New hearts.
Photos from events will appear here.
Videos and reels from events will appear here.
Press publications and media links will appear here.
Charitable Direction
A portion of funds will be directed toward supporting the education of war orphans and children who have lost one parent as a result of the war.
The partner foundation will be announced separately.
The Team
Ukrainian contemporary artist and photographer. Her work has been exhibited internationally, from the Dordrecht Museum to Tokyo's FUMA Contemporary and Nakanojo Biennale.
marfa-vasilieva.com →Coordinating the global reach of the project, connecting ambassadors and communities across countries.
Our ambassadors are the heartbeat of this project, organizing local events, gathering braids, and spreading the story in their cities.
Become an ambassador →The foundation plays a crucial role in coordinating the efforts of this project. As a Netherlands-based organization promoting Ukrainian art and culture, VATAHA supports outreach by reaching Ukrainian displaced communities and providing communication with activists.
vataha.nl →Get Involved
Whether you want to weave a braid, become an ambassador, partner with us, or simply stay informed, we'd love to hear from you.
FAQ
A single braid typically takes 15–30 minutes depending on the length and your experience. It's a meditative, accessible process anyone can do.
Ribbons should be cut 10–20 cm wide and 50–100 cm long. Each finished braid becomes part of a larger 1.5m × 1.5m Braided Textile Square.
Yes! Contact Marfa Vasilieva at [email protected] or WhatsApp +31 682 443 384 before shipping to confirm the current collection address.
Yes. You can weave and send a braid without being publicly named. Let us know your preference when you get in touch.
For Business
Sponsor packages and partnership tiers are in development. If your organization would like to support this global memorial, get in touch, we'd love to explore what's possible together.
Get in Touch