Pavel Rotts Turns War Scars into Climbing Holds in Helsinki

Artist Pavel Rotts, an Ingrian Finn who moved from Russia to Finland, creates climbing walls using casts of architectural fragments from war-damaged buildings. His project 'Climbing a Memory' began in Helsinki in 2018 when he noticed bomb scars on Pitkäsilta bridge. Rotts makes molds of architectural fragments from Narva Museum and recasts them in plastic resin as climbing holds. The installation debuted in Narva Castle Park, Estonia, in 2024 as part of commemorations for the 80th anniversary of the March Bombing of 1944 that destroyed much of Narva. Despite political tensions, the wall attracted families and children. A new version opens at Forum Box in Helsinki from August 7 to September 27, 2026, with routes set by Felix Damsky of KiipeilyAreena. Rotts collaborates with professional route setters for larger works. The wall uses bright color coding from climbing gyms. Rotts sees climbing as a way to understand history through bodily movement rather than language.