Illya Pavlov

Piece (2025)

The words "We want piece" in the style of a Roman inscription, with an olive branch

Courtesy of the artist

Peace is easy to confuse with something else. Graz-based artist Illya Pavlov, who is originally from Kharkiv, offers a sardonic comment on what awaits Ukraine after long-promised negotiations. In his temporary monument, installed in the BAU courtyard, the deliberate misspelling of Peace as Piece evokes a range of interpretations, as does the olive branch adorning it.

Illya Pavlov (1982, Kharkiv, Ukraine) is a researcher and design director. In 2006, he established the studio Grafprom with his partner Maria Norazian, which has designed nationwide brands and campaigns for clients in post-Soviet states and beyond. Pavlov has taught at Kharkiv State University and Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts and has conducted workshops across Europe and the United States. Currently, he is a senior lecturer at FH Joanneum, Graz, and a guest teacher at the School of Visual Communication, Kyiv, and the Kharkiv School of Architecture. Pavlov lives in Graz.

Commissioned and produced by steirischer herbst ’25

With the support of the Institute of Design and Communication, University of Applied Sciences FH JOANNEUM