Time Maschine
Office Ukraine together with ÖBB are honored to present Time Maschine, an art installation by Anastasiia Vasylchenko Mamay, a Ukrainian artist who fled her homeland in March 2022 due to the Russian full-scale invasion. This installation is featuring ceramic train tickets in the design of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB).
The artworks are on view from August 19 until September 15 at the main train station of Vienna, directly in front of the Ticket Shop.
The official opening will take place on September 5 at 5 pm.
Anastasia Vasylchenko Mamay, who now resides in St. Pölten with her young son, has created this piece as a reflection of her experience of displacement and the altered perception of time that accompanies such profound life changes. The ticket, made entirely of porcelain, embodies the fragile yet enduring nature of memory and hope. Anastasia describes her project as a Time Machine—a symbolic return to the past, a tangible link to her home, and a manifestation of the complex emotions surrounding her forced migration. The installation includes eleven porcelain tickets, each carefully crafted and displayed in a specially designed showcase at the station.
‘Many of us Ukrainians have found ourselves in a different reality, our sense of time altered by the uncertainty of our situation,’ Anastasia shares. ‘This project represents the longing to return home, a desire shared by countless displaced people. The ticket, always valid, is my way of holding onto the hope that we can one day return.’
Time Maschine is not just a personal story but a universal exploration of displacement, resilience, and the search for identity. Visitors are encouraged to explore this moving piece of art.
We would like to thank the Austrian Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport and Simon Mraz for the great support of this project.
For more information about the artist, the exhibition, or to schedule an interview, please contact Anastasiia Vasylchenko Mamay at anastasya.vasylchenko@gmail.