The Project "27"
The project “27” is about Lukashenka's 27 years rule results.
This project is socio-political. It draws attention to the political situation in Belarus. Shows real events taking place over the past six months, and not through the eyes of the press and suppression of the essence. I demonstrate the brutality of the governing authorities against their people. In my project, I talk about my fear, my reflection and your pain. Since me myself was a direct participant of these events.
I was born and lived all my life in Belarus and almost all my life was spent under the regime of Lukashenka's dictatorship. In 2020, after rigged elections, people took the streets of their cities to show their disagreement, and then a real war between the enforcers and defenseless people began.
Thousands of people were beaten and raped, were subjected to monstrous torture, some died. And since then, daily peaceful demonstrations against violence have begun, which have ended in even more terrible violence and repression.
There no a single family that has not been affected by these events. A huge number of my friends have suffered and ended up in prison, some as political prisoners. And these crimes against the people continue to this day.
These events also affected me, since for my art and civic position I fell under repression and had to flee the country. Now I am in political asylum in Lithuania.
My project consists of a series of graphic works, installation and video art.
The project gives viewers the opportunity to find themselves in Belarus during the revolution and feel like a participant in these events.
In my works, I try to achieve maximum expressiveness using the minimum number of colors - black, white and red. White and red are the colors of the flag of Belarus, which is now covered with black terror.
"Dazhinki"
Painting
60x80 cm
Acryl, canvas
2021
Acryl, canvas
2021
"Dazhinki" is an annual celebration of the end of the harvest. It has been held in Belarus since 1996. It is celebrated on a special scale, the best workers of the agro-industrial complex of the republic are awarded at the festival. The official part is usually opened with a procession of honorary guests, regional delegations, and creative teams.
In 2020, this holiday was canceled in Belarus, as instead of harvesting the government was busy arresting people at peaceful protests.
А horse made of straw is a symbol of traditional Belarusian culture, the horse in the picture is very similar to it, but made of barbed wire. he kind of personifies the Trojan horse.
"23.08.2020"
Painting
60x80 cm
Acryl, canvas
2021
Acryl, canvas
2021
On August 26, the riot police squads dispersed the protesters on Independence Square in Minsk. About a hundred protesters tried to hide in the Red Chapel. Seeing this, the security forces blocked all the entrances of the temple and did not let people out.
"14.08.2020"
Painting
60x80 cm
Acryl, canvas
2021
Acryl, canvas
2021
August 14, 2020 The country announced the official election results. It also became known that the CEC of Belarus rejected the candidates' complaints - they were filed by everyone except Lukashenka.
Tikhanovskaya, in a new video message, called on the mayors of all cities to hold peaceful mass meetings on August 15 and 16. She also announced the creation of a Coordinating Council to ensure the transfer of power.
The security forces appeared in front of the protesters near the Government House on the evening of August 14. The riot police lined up in a chain. When the column of demonstrators came closer, the security forces lowered their shields. Women from the crowd rushed to them,began to hug and kiss the soldiers, giving them flowers.
People misunderstood the OMON gesture, people thought the OMON surrendered. In fact, nothing of the kind happened. In my work, I depict the OMON shield as a gravestone and flowers as a funeral wreath. This job is the hope of victory, the hope of the fall of the dictatorship.
"Thread of Fate"
Painting
60x80 cm
Acryl, canvas
2021
Acryl, canvas
2021
According to ancient Greek mythology, the Moiraes create human destinies. Death is under the special protection of the moir. They determine the lifespan of a person and the moment of his death and make sure that he does not live longer than his due date. As daughters of the Night, the Moiraes were considered not only the forces of darkness, but also the implacable spirits of revenge and punishment, and hence death. Clotho weaves a thread of fate from everything that falls into her hands. Lachesis, without looking, weaves the threads of the destinies of different people among themselves. And the third, Atropos, cuts the threads of fate, thus killing them.
In my work, I draw a parallel between this legend and the protests in Belarus. At first, protest activity arose, people's lives were intertwined, and as a result, the protests were suppressed by the authorities.
In Belarus, riot police constantly cut red and white ribbons in the courtyards, which gave rise to many jokes and memes. Special equipment was used to combat the ribbons.
"97%"
Painting
60x80 cm
Acryl, canvas
2021
Acryl, canvas
2021
There are no independent poll and statistics institutions in Belarus that can conduct an impartial public opinion survey. But at the end of May, the popular Belarusian media Onliner and Tut.by and a number of local telegram channels conducted opinion polls among their readers about their political preferences. According to the results of several of them, it turned out that about 3% of Belarusians are ready to vote for Lukashenka.
In order to identify themselves and show who wants changes in the country, people began to glue white sheets of paper on the windows as a sign of their protest against the Lukashenko.
There were so many white papers on the windows that soon the Belarusian authorities banned white colour.
"23.05.2021"
Painting
60x80 cm
Acryl, canvas
2021
Acryl, canvas
2021
On May 23, 2021, the Boeing 737-8AS of the Irish operator Ryanair was on the international regular flight FR4978 from Athens to Vilnius. Three minutes after entering the airspace of Belarus, the pilots received a message from the local dispatcher that, according to information from the special services of Belarus, the airliner was mined. A few minutes before leaving the airspace of Belarus, the Boeing was deployed and, accompanied by a Belarusian MiG-29 fighter jet, was sent to the national airport “Minsk”. After the plane landed at the Minsk airport, the KGB enforces detained two passengers: oppositional Belarusian leader Roman Protasevich and his girlfriend, a citizen Russia Sophia Sapega. Information about mining was not confirmed.
This work also has a second meaning. The paper airplane is a symbol of independent media in Belarus. There are independent media all over the world, there are many of them and they are not prohibited. At the same time, all media in Belarus are controlled by the political regime.
"23.34"
Painting
60x80 cm
Acryl, canvas
2021
Acryl, canvas
2021
Paragraph 23.34, administrative code of the Republic of Belarus, Violation of the procedure for organizing or holding public events.
Since August 9, 2020, 9378 people have been convicted under this article in Belarus, the article is rightfully considered "popular".
Since August 9, 2020, 9378 people have been convicted under this article in Belarus, the article is rightfully considered "popular".
In the picture we see a person being interrogated. He was convicted under Article 23.34. Around the person there are aggressive representatives of power structures. We see a tattoo on a man's hand in the form of three hearts. Heart is a symbol of love and kindness. But looking at these hearts, we understand that a person's life forces are running out, since he is in prison and perhaps he is being tortured.
"18.05.2021"
Painting
60x80 cm
Acryl, canvas
2021
Acryl, canvas
2021
The Belarusian Association of Journalists has collected 540 cases that, in its opinion, violate the journalist rights in 2020. In just a year, there were 480 arrests of journalists in connection with their professional activities, dozens of wounds and injuries, including at least two wounds from rubber bullets and one shrapnel wound.
On August 21, 2020, access to 73 resources is blocked (websites of human rights organizations, media, proxy services, ProtonMail, one of the Psiphon sites)
On May 18, 2021, TUT.BY and a number of its subsidiary sites, including mirrors and e-mail service, were blocked. Together with the raid on the company's office, at least 18 employees were arrested as part of a criminal case for non-payment of taxes by the portal.
On the carina, we see a paper airplane, a symbol of independent media that conducted their activities in the Telegram application. Airplanes one after another find themselves behind bars. And we can assume that this is not the end. That soon the number of arrested journalists will only increase.
"10000"
Painting
60x80 cm
Acryl, canvas
2021
Acryl, canvas
2021
In Minsk in August, protests were dispersed by: from 7 to 9 thousand police officers and internal troops (SOBR and ALMAZ), from 500 to 800 people from the 120th division, 200 people from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, about 300 people from the KGB and up to 600 people - employees of the SBP.
In other cities, the militia was not enough, so they used the army paratrooper squads.
Information on BY POL data
"1"
Painting
60x80 cm
Acryl, canvas
2021
Acryl, canvas
2021
A. Lukashenko - the first and only President and Chief-commander of the Armed Forces of Belarus since July 20, 1994, has the unofficial title of “The Last Dictator of Europe”. He has been the head of State for the longest time of all the current leaders of Eurasia (except for the monarchs and the Supreme Leader of Iran) - almost 27 years.
Lukashenko established an authoritarian regime in Belarus (using administrative resources in elections, repressions against opponents of the regime, restrictions on freedom of the media, etc.).
“Price of freedom”
Mixed media
40x40
2021
This work tells about the price paid by peaceful people in the struggle for freedom and independence of Belarus.
"Letters to political prisoners"
In Belarus, more than 1000 people have been recognized as political prisoners, and the list is constantly growing. These people are in great need of support, and letters with kind words are a good way to help them not to lose heart while in prison.
In order to draw attention to this problem, I made a glass box on which I have written by hand the names of all political prisoners in Belarus. Now, when guests come on an excursion to Lukishkes prison, they can immediately write a letter with kind words by choosing any name from the list.
My project was first presented to the general public in June 2021 at Lukiškės Prison in Vilnius. The opening of the exhibition was attended by Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Prime Minister of Lithuania Ingrida Simonyte and the first chairman of the Great Seimas of Lithuania Vytautas Landsbergis
Photo author Rytis Seskaitis
Political prisoners were kept in this prison during the Soviet Union times. At the moment, the prison operates as a cultural center. I chose this location for the presentation of my project because I almost ended up in a Belarusian prison for my art.
To work on my project, I rented a workshop in Lukiskes prison. I think this is very symbolic.
Lukiškių skg. 6, Vilnius 01108
