Plowman of the Universe
At riskA 1972 smalt mosaic by Aurel David, about 9 by 15 metres, on the façade of the former “Yuri Gagarin” Youth Centre (str. Melestiu 1), overlooking the Valley of Roses — a tribute to space exploration in which the cosmonaut is figured as a plowman tilling the universe, executed in the broken-coloured-glass technique David called “erklez.” The city counts it among the eight most remarkable panels in Chișinău and among David's two finest mosaics in the city (with “Electrificația” on str. Vasile Lupu 18, 1969). The mosaic is not on the Register of state-protected monuments, so its fate rests with the private owner of the land: the privatised building stands abandoned — one of Moldova's largest ruins. In late 2023 the City Hall announced it would add the capital's mosaics to a local Category-B heritage register, but the work remains at risk.
- Track
- Cultural Landmarks
- Neighborhood
- Centru
- Artist
- Aurel David
- Year
- 1972
- Building
- Fostul Centru de Tineret „Iurie Gagarin”, str. Melestiu 1