MAKE BELARUS ZAEBIS AGAIN
Art in a restricted country.
Political events and restrictions on freedoms always leave their mark on art. In this case, projects appear that are aimed at telling more people about what is happening, slightly opening the curtain of these events, drawing attention to the problem. Vladimir's projects about his native country are aimed precisely at this.
We want to introduce you to his works, where politics, art and faith in the future are intertwined.
We want to introduce you to his works, where politics, art and faith in the future are intertwined.
Creator, designer, photographer, creative director:
7+ years experience in creative industry
4+ years experience in developing own business (event agency)
3+ years in creating and developing augmented reality Instagram/Facebook (Spark AR)
His photos were published by Apple, Samsung, Huawei, Bored panda.
7+ years experience in creative industry
4+ years experience in developing own business (event agency)
3+ years in creating and developing augmented reality Instagram/Facebook (Spark AR)
His photos were published by Apple, Samsung, Huawei, Bored panda.
- Vladimir, please tell us about your background, in which creative areas did you manage to work?
- My creative career began with work as a creative copywriter in advertising agencies, as well as with participation in the filming of music videos. Gradually, I began to get involved in graphic design, art, mostly modern. When access to augmented reality platforms on Instagram was opened, I began to study this area for my creative needs: I created something for myself, something for clients from the advertising field.
- Tell us about the Lüsterka project, what inspired you?
- Initially, the idea of the project was born in 2020: I just wanted to try something new in augmented reality, but then the political events in Belarus gave a new interpretation to the project, namely restrictions on exhibitions: lists of banned artists, repressions against artists. As a result, I won a grant from one company to implement this project to promote Belarusian art.
Now Lusterka is a project that directly says that in Belarus there is no freedom, even in creativity. My project is a reflection of the reality that is happening now in belarus. If we can't exhibit in physical space, then we will exhibit in augmented reality in order to tell as many people as possible about Belarusian art, about the repressions that are taking place now. This project is more socio-political than just about art.
Now Lusterka is a project that directly says that in Belarus there is no freedom, even in creativity. My project is a reflection of the reality that is happening now in belarus. If we can't exhibit in physical space, then we will exhibit in augmented reality in order to tell as many people as possible about Belarusian art, about the repressions that are taking place now. This project is more socio-political than just about art.
Lusterka
AR exhibition of a Belarusian contemporary artists.
- Tell us how the project grew and where Belarusian Artists have already appeared in augmented reality?
- The first version of the project was implemented in the summer of 2022 as an alternative to the usual exhibition spaces, but after many artists began to be banned from exhibiting for various reasons, I decided that the project should first of all help those who suffered from the regime in Belarus.
The project received good reviews and ratings from both representatives of the creative industry and augmented reality professionals. I gave a few interviews, there were many announcements about the exhibition in independent media. The project also got into the selection of the best effects of the week according to the augmented reality portal Lenslist. The project has attracted more than 100,000 Instagram users.
Аn artist can be banned from participating in exhibitions because of his statements on the Internet, because of his participation in protests, and also because of the use of even certain colors in his paintings, for example, blue or yellow in greater quantities can remind commissions about Ukraine, and the authorities in Belarus support Russia.
The project received good reviews and ratings from both representatives of the creative industry and augmented reality professionals. I gave a few interviews, there were many announcements about the exhibition in independent media. The project also got into the selection of the best effects of the week according to the augmented reality portal Lenslist. The project has attracted more than 100,000 Instagram users.
Аn artist can be banned from participating in exhibitions because of his statements on the Internet, because of his participation in protests, and also because of the use of even certain colors in his paintings, for example, blue or yellow in greater quantities can remind commissions about Ukraine, and the authorities in Belarus support Russia.
- In social networks, you mentioned that the artists who took part in the project face problems with exhibiting in state museums in Belarus.
- Alas, what I was so afraid of happened: some artists who took part in the project began to receive official letters from the Ministry of Culture of Belarus with an ultimatum that if you continue to participate in the lusterka, then you are forbidden to exhibit in official galleries and exhibition halls. I don't know exactly how many people received these letters, but two artists asked to remove their work, and one of them sent me a photo of this letter from the ministry.
By the way, now in the project, instead of two works of artists, you can see images that say that the artist asked that his work be removed. For security reasons, I can't name the artists who asked for that.
By the way, now in the project, instead of two works of artists, you can see images that say that the artist asked that his work be removed. For security reasons, I can't name the artists who asked for that.
- What development do you see for the Lüsterka project?
- My main goal now is to tell more people about this, what is happening in the cultural sphere of Belarus. Previously, my project was available only on the Instagram platform, but I want to implement it on TikTok and at least Snapchat. And I'm thinking about a new visualization, and also looking for artists.Perhaps I will find a couple more people in the team, because the project is planned to be several times larger than it was before.
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Art is power, and I want to use it to make Belarus zaebis.
- Tell us about other initiatives you are involved in - Znivien, the project with Human Constanta.
- I have a project - a clothing brand called Zhniven (zhniven is an august in Belarusian language, a reference to August 2020, when protests began in Belarus).
And one day we had an idea to make a collaboration with our friends - a human rights organization Human Constanta, in order to draw attention to the detention of their colleague, Nastya Loyka, who is already a political prisoner and is serving time in one of the prisons of Belarus. Augmented reality allows us to tell the story about Nastya and the situation with political prisoners.
And one day we had an idea to make a collaboration with our friends - a human rights organization Human Constanta, in order to draw attention to the detention of their colleague, Nastya Loyka, who is already a political prisoner and is serving time in one of the prisons of Belarus. Augmented reality allows us to tell the story about Nastya and the situation with political prisoners.
- What young creative people can do to make Belarus zaebis again?
- Complex issue. We never lived in Belarus when it was cool (zaebis). It's more of an ironic slogan, motivating us to make it cool now or when the time is right.
Now the only thing we can do is to do something for the future. Many people left the country after 2020, so the main idea is to do something that will allow us to transfer our projects back to the country later. You can create applications, services, new businesses whatever you want.
Outside your homeland, you understand that your country is first of all people, not the borders of the state, so you can be a Belarusian wherever you are and do what you can for a better life for your citizens.
Personally, for myself, I believe that art is power, and I want to use it to make Belarus zaebis.
Now the only thing we can do is to do something for the future. Many people left the country after 2020, so the main idea is to do something that will allow us to transfer our projects back to the country later. You can create applications, services, new businesses whatever you want.
Outside your homeland, you understand that your country is first of all people, not the borders of the state, so you can be a Belarusian wherever you are and do what you can for a better life for your citizens.
Personally, for myself, I believe that art is power, and I want to use it to make Belarus zaebis.
Do you want to collaborate with Vladimir?
phone: +48 786 423 805
email: wlad.malyavko@gmail.com
email: wlad.malyavko@gmail.com
