Peas/Hrachovina (Jaromír Gargulák)

In the spring of 2023, on Mendlovo Square, sprouted Peas. This is the name of a sculpture dedicated to the memory of the famous geneticist Gregor Johann Mendel.

 The road leading up to this official opening started back in 2019, when the NGO Společně, o.p.s. declared its intention to pay tribute to the father of genetics by creating a work of art. The follow-up step was to announce an international public competition, according to which, following an anonymous multi-round assessment, an expert panel selected the winning design – Peas, by the well-known sculptor, artist, and foundry worker Jaromír Gargulák.

The sculpture is made up of cast bronze pea shoots, the plant with which Mendel conducted his experiments – although here much larger than life. Its central section portrays Mendl’s third law: the Law of Independent Assortment, with the 9 spherical yellow peas, 3 angular yellow, 3 spherical green, and 1 angular green pea showing the 9:3:3:1 ratio of dominant and recessive phenotypes in a dihybrid cross. The statue is also unique in that it carries within itself a message for future generations in the form of stored DNA, both of Gregor Mendel himself, and of important contemporary figures, including that of Brno’s mayor and South Moravia’s governor.

Following its official unveiling on 21 February 2023, the sculpture has now become part of the renovated Mendlovo Square.

What about Peas in figures? Height 530 cm, weight 8,460 kg of bronze, 534 pieces, 273 days or 6,552 hours of work, and 33 co-creators from various professions involved.