Michael Aram has created a sculptural piece to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, reports.

In an event held on October 6, 2015, the designer unveiled Migrations. The dedication was led by Archbishop Khajg Barsamian at the plaza of St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral in New York City. Many attended the unveiling, including clergy and dignitaries.

This piece holds special meaning for Aram who is of Armenian descent. “Migrations is inspired by the multiple migrations of the Armenian population. It was a migration of spirit, of soul and of place. For me, the piece is as much a tribute to the events of 1915 as it is a reflection of family histories and the immigrant experience,” he said.

The sculpture features a flock of birds in a vertical shape that references the Khatchkars, stone cross markers characteristic of medieval Christian Armenian art. In this piece, the khatchkar has a void in the shape of the former Armenian provinces. The map is turned on its side which signifies the upheaval of the country; the missing piece suggests the emptying of the Armenian people from their land.