The Grape Harvest is a landmark of Ukrainian monumental art, created in 1979 by Ukrainian artists Hryhorii Kichula and Yaroslav Sheremeta. For more than 45 years, the ceramic mural adorned the facade of the former winery on Pohulianka Street in Lviv before the building’s deteriorating condition put the artwork at risk of being lost.
The idea of saving the mural emerged more than five years ago. During this time, the project involved archival research, the search for technical solutions, careful dismantling, conservation, restoration, and the preparation of a new site for its permanent display.
Through archival research, the Jam Factory Art Center team discovered that the mural’s history is closely connected to the art center’s site. In 1945, the Lviv Wine Bottling Base — which later became the winery — began operating in the building at 124 Khmelnytskoho Street, where Jam Factory Art Center is located today.
After the winery declined in the 1990s, the building gradually fell into disrepair, placing the mural’s future in jeopardy. Its relocation to Jam Factory Art Center, therefore, became not only an act of preservation, but also a symbolic return to the place where the history of the enterprise first began.
Throughout the entire process, Jam Factory Art Center coordinated the project, advocated for the preservation of the mural, and brought together partners to make its rescue possible. For the art center, this initiative reflects a long-term commitment to safeguarding cultural heritage and demonstrates how cultural institutions, public authorities, businesses, and restoration professionals can work together to preserve significant works of art.
The project was carried out in collaboration with the Lviv City Council Office for Cultural Heritage Protection, the construction company Auroom, and the restoration bureau KARP Restorer. The costs of dismantling and relocating the mural were jointly funded by Auroom and Jam Factory Art Center.
The restored mural was officially unveiled at Jam Factory Art Center on 6 June 2026. Today, it is permanently displayed on a specially built outdoor wall and is free to visit.
Video about the preservation and restoration of the “Grape Harvest” ceramic panel
Watch the full story of the rescue, restoration, and new life of the “Grape Harvest” panel in our new video, created by Pryvit Production.
(Ua)