Friday, 13 November 2009
On November 6, two exhibitions of Belarusian artists – “Abjareg” (averter) by Yahor Batalyonak and “Mae mary” (my dreams) by Aliaksei Marachkin – have opened in a public hall “Polatsak” in Strongsville, Ohio, not far from Cleveland.
That day, about forty Belarusians gathered in “Polatsak” to admire the artworks created by our famous artists and had the opportunity to talk to them and ask numerous questions.
Welcome speech was delivered by Siarhei Ramanyuk – a manager of one of the most influential Belarusian centers in North America. Paintings with Belarusian landscapes created a positive mood and helped to recall our homeland once again, to remember mother’s home and our Belarus.
“In recent years, events like this do not take place as regularly as we would like them to, and the visit of such famous guests from Belarus is an important occasion for all of us” – mentioned Siarhei. “This evening, with the help of our friends from New York, we try to evoke interest of belarusians in our native art and make events like this to occur more often.”
Yahor Batalyonak visited Belarusian Cleveland for the first time and was impressed and delighted by this place and belarusians who live here. Aliaksei Marachkin is a dear friend of Belarusian community in Ohio. As one of the best contemporary Belarusian artists, he has painted the altar screen of Belarusian Church of Zhyrovichi God Mother, which is located a few steps away from “Polatsak.”
Mr. Marachkin also illustrated and participated in release of the book entitled “Sys” by Anatol Sys, a wonderful Belarusian poet who would have turned 50 on October 26. Some poems from his book were recited at the opening of the exhibition.
Yahor Batalyonak’s and Aliaksei Marachkin’s artworks, as well as Belarusian songs performed by Valiantsina Yakimovich and poems by Anatoli Sys created a friendly and cozy atmosphere.
It was the first experience for Belarusians of Cleveland in organizing the exhibition of Belarusian artists as an individual event. For Belarusian Museum in New York, however, the exhibitions of Aliaksei Marachkin and Yahor Batalyonak were the 20th and the 21st events set up by our organization.
We would like to thank the management of a public hall “Polatsak” and personally Svyatlana Belaya and Siarhei Ramanyuk – Belarusians from Celeveland – for their help in organizing the exhibitions.
