Bronze sculpture “Take us with you!” (2025) by Elena Kraft

In this bronze sculpture, a young girl is lifted into the sky by her balloons—on her way to adulthood. The balloons symbolize the striving and inevitable allure of growing up. Yet her hand still clings tightly to her beloved companions—a teddy bear and a small rabbit. They embody the innocence, trust, and simple joy of childhood—that tender part of the soul that refuses to be left behind. The toys reach out to her as if whispering, "Take us with you…" but remain grounded—symbols of memories, warmth, and the fleeting purity of early life. The contrast between the lightness of flight and the weight of the bronze evokes the tension between dream and reality, between holding on and letting go. This work speaks of a gentle farewell to childhood—not of loss, but of continuity. For as we grow, we carry not the toys themselves, but the boundless capacity to dream, to believe, and to love as we once did.