The exhibition “Art against Dictatorship” continues to travel to museums across the USA. We would remind you that the exhibition has been displayed in the Estonian parliament in Tallinn, at the headquarters of the German Marshall Fund of the United States in Washington D.C. and Belarusian Museum of New York earlier.

This time the exhibition was hosted by the Fund for American Studies in Washington D.C. The event was met with considerable interest by college students from all over the world engaged in various educational programs of TFAS.

The exhibition presents works by Ales Shaternik, Ales Marachkin, Mikola Kupava, Rygor Batalionak, Genadz Drazdou, Yury Platonau, Yanka Romanovitch, Yelena Tylkina and Julia Shaternik. The cardinal concept of the exhibition is to bring the ideas of struggle for freedom and democracy against dictatorship still existing in present times through the power of Art.

Matthew Kwasiborski, the Prague Programs Director for the Fund for American Studies opened the reception and reviewed the political situation in Belarus, difficulties Belarusian artists-democrats facing back home. He also introduced the programs and events launched by the Fund for American Studies.

The exhibition has already been shown in the Estonian Parliament in Tallinn, at the headquarters of the German Marshall Fund of the United States in Washington D.C., and, from April 1st, 2009, the exhibit will continue in the Fund for American Studies in Washington D.C.

The creative forces behind the exhibition are the famous Belarusian artists  Ales Marachkin, Ales Shaternik, Rygor Batalionak, Mikola Kupava ,  as well as young artists Yanka Romanovitch, Yury Platonau, and artists of the new wave of the Belarusian  Diaspora abroad such as Yelena Tylkina and Julia Shaternik.

The exhibition includes 37 paintings, in addition to graphic works by Mikola Kupava, and a bronze bust sculpture of Vasil Bykau by Ales Shaternik (2005). Ales Marachkin, the famous master of conceptualism, presents his well-known paintings “The Wall”, “Russian Chastooshka”, “Cain and Abel” among others.  

On January 18 at 12:30 pm at Belarusan Museum located 401 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn,  N.Y. an opening reception of the art exhibition "SONCAKRYZH" and a meeting with a well-known Belarusan sculptor and artist Ales Shaternik will take place. Ales will not only present his fine art pieces, but will present his newly published album-book "SONCAKRYZH," which consists of three parts: Form, Color and Word. As the author acknowledges about his art "Painting is two-dimensional, Sculpture is three- dimensional and Poetry is getting beyond those two closer to fourth dimension – Gods' words –"In the beginning there was a word …" 

"SONCAKRYZH" – a poem written by Ales Shaternik in 2002, is poetic-metaphoric depicture of Father and Mother, Sorrow and Joy, Life and Eternity… Ales is known as a sculptor and artist during the presentation of his book "SONCAKRYZH" in Minsk was highly praised as a author of poetic impressions by well known poets Ales Riazanov, Nil  Hilevich and literature critic Arsen Lis.

Ales Shaternik is a member of the art group "Pahonia." He is known as one of the authors of the idea and a creator of the Belarusan Freedom Bell and the monument to Tadeusz Kościuszko, installed in the US embassy in Minsk. The sculptor worked on restoration of Clinton's bench in Kurapty, which was vandalized 12 times by unknown people.

On November 16, at 1:00 pm the presentation of the eminent Belarusan graphic artist Yauhen Shatohin's personal exhibition "MY and Your Belarus"  took place at St. Cyril's of Turau Cathedral, where after prolonged repairs the Belarusan Museum in NY has started its function.

On November 16 at 1:00PM, the Belarusan Museum located at 401 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY will hold an opening reception for the personal exhibition of Yauhen Shatohin.  Shatohin is a leading artist of Belarusan Renaissance and a member of the Pagonya artists' group.  His art opens a door to Belarus which is difficult not to love, images of the native woodlands, the lake region dwellers, and landscapes of the Vitebsk region.  Yauhen's lanscapes, portraits, and still lives are a vivid contribution to Belarusan culture.  His work reflects his love of his native land and a profound understanding of its historic and cultural heritage. The name of the exhibition "My and your Belarus" is not a coinsidense.

Shatohin has become a member of the artists union in 1982.  He received the union's medal for achievements in the fine arts.  In 1988, Shatohin founded and subsequently directed the Children's School of Fine Arts in Pinsk.  In 1997, his employment was terminated and he was prosecuted because of his involvement in the opposition to the dictatorship.

Shatohin's works are on exhibit in the Belarusan National Museum of Fine Arts and Belarusan Museum of Modern Art in Minsk, Museum of History and Culture in Zaslauye,  Museum of Belarusan Woodlands in Pinsk,  Museum of Recovered Treasures in Brest, Russian Ministry of Culture Fund in Moscow,  Ukrainian Artists Union Fund in Kiev, Yachtwerf Museum in Berlin, and others.