This Instagram account champions Belarusian artists as they fight for change
19 August 2020
Text:
Paula Erizanu
As Belarusians continue to fight for change, the country’s creative communities have also joined the struggle for democracy. Contemporary art magazine @chrysalismag have given their account over to visual artists and illustrators who are speaking out against government repression.
@chrysalismag showcases the extraordinary creativity Belarusian artists have shown in the tumultuous ten days since the country’s presidential elections on 9 August, which many observers have condemned as rigged. Artists are given space to voice their concern against the police brutality that has left thousands of people injured and two dead. Many posts also celebrate the Belarusians’ solidarity in the face of hardship.
The account also spotlights old political artworks that have gained new meaning in light of the current protests, such as Dmitry Bubnov’s 2012 installation Stability, in which a single armchair perches on top of a pyramid of police shields.
But creatives haven’t just made political artworks over the past ten days. @chrysalismag also posts snapshots of creatives meeting for street protests. “During the day, I stand on the street with flowers in my hands together with wonderful, courageous people, and in the evening, I make art,” says illustrator Dmitry Kashalyan, who sells his artworks to raise funds for the victims of political repression.
