Saturday, 21 February 2009
On February, 15 Belarusan Museum of New York (St.Cyril of Turau Cathedral, Brooklyn NY) opened Ales Marachkin's personal exhibition "My Dreams".
It was a pretty busy week for the head of the union of Belarusans of the world "Batskaushchyna" (Fatherland) and one of the founders of the art society "Pahonia" (Chaser) Ales Marachkin.
February 7th: the next day after his flight to New York he took part in the protest held in front of the UN headquarters dedicated to the forced military draft of young Belarusians with clear political implications.
February 12th: "Art against dictatorship" exhibition was opened at the headquarters of the German Marshall Fund of the United States (Washington D.C.).
And just one day before his flight back to Belarus Ales Marachkin opened his personal exhibition.
Although most of his works will be exhibited in Washington D.C. during the next month those Belarusans who live in New York also have a great opportunity to see Belarus through the artist's eyes.
Also present at the exhibition were Zianon Pazniak, our famous politician and art critic, and Paval Marozau the head of Third Way civil initiative.
'There are distinctive marks that point at the artist's level. Even this small exhibition proves that the artist can do much' said Pazniak about well-known both in Belarus and abroad artist Ales Marachkin, whom Zianon knew from his student years.
When a student Ales was interested in revolutionary forms. He was trying to oppose himself to Soviet academic manner that kept many talents from developing. Fortunately Ales Marachkin found himself as an artist. He got to know Belarusian culture; he was filled with the national idea and a tragedy of the nation and the language. The path he chose then helped him to go forward and develop. And now he is with no doubt advanced guard of Belarusian culture.
'There will be no Belarusan nation without cultural contribution and raising national, artistic, historical, educational and religious questions' noticed Paval Marozau.
"Two Spruces", "Belarusan Giaconda", "Hazy Vail", "Madonna of Corsica", "Zaslauje", "Wall of Silence" demonstrate Marachkin's diversity and mastery. He is able to express what Belarus lives for. What Marachkin is trying to do through his works nobody could have done for the last 15 years in politics. He is trying to put the Belarusans back on the Belarusan path.
It is no coincidence that Marachkin's paintings were destroyed or arrested. Anything Belarusan is suppressed under antinational oppression.
But God's idea cannot be destroyed. God is Good. To do Good for Belarus and to bring Good to Belarus these are Marachkin's cherished "Dreams".
www.belmuseum.org
