Cultural Developments in Belarus: There Are a Lot Of
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Vilnius, Lithuania Issue 2(12), March 2010 THE BRIGHT SIDE OF BELARUS Let’s admit it, little is said about good things that Considering the topics of the articles mentioned take place in Belarus. So rarely we hear anything above, cultural life in Belarus is the sphere experi- positive about this country that one might even encing an upturn: new ideas are appreciated, art wonder – is there a bright side of Belarus? After experiments are feasible and international coopera- receiving a good few of articles, I have no doubts tion is productive. that yes, there is. Here we publish the articles that looked at the positive aspects of life in Belarus from As Olga Tomashevskaya puts it in her contribu- original, seldom discussed point of view. Aliaksei tion, economic and political life in Belarus does Shota’s contribution overviews cultural develop- not flounder either. We see the bright side here ments in 2009 presenting new trends in Belarusian in changing mentality, the coming of a positive cinematography and music, uprise of new art spaces estimation of private entrepreneurship. and media platforms created to talk about as well All three authors end their pieces by expressing as promote Belarusian art. their wish that good aspects of life in Belarus would Ekaterina Glod in turn goes deeper in analysing new endure, develop and push their way into other tendencies in Belarusian cinema. The film festival spheres. I join the contributors of the current issue Listapad could be a touchstone when assessing the by encouraging to find and to contribute to good quality of Belarusian cinematography and when things in Belarus. discussing choices that Belarusians make in terms of international film industry. Julija Narkeviciute, Editor CULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS IN BELARUS: THERE ARE A LOT CONTENTS OF THINGS TO DISCUSS CULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS IN Aliaksei Shota, journalist lecture room in one building – quite an unexpected variety on Minsk culture map. Thus a former glass BELARUS: THERE ARE The year 2009 was remarkable for culture events in bottle return centre turned into a meeting point A LOT OF THINGS Belarus. In contrast to political or social spheres, where exhibitions, presentations and debates take TO DISCUSS culture was booming with life. Aliaksei Shota, journalist place. Cultural events offered by “Ў” are as unique Certainly, Belarus still cannot beat the neighbouring 1 for Belarus, as the letter of the Belarusian alpha- countries in musical culture development. We lack bet that became its name. It may well be that the publishers, art galleries, clubs, as well as ordinary famous conceptual artist Artur Klinau will change CREATING A coffee houses and bear pubs. Furthermore, the his opinion and Minsk will quit being the ‘capital POSITIVE IMAGE OF music on FM radio creates an image that there is without galleries’ for him? only one music style. However, in the year 2009 BELARUS: LISTAPAD In August – September 2009, the biggest modern there were some positive developments that cannot FILM FESTIVAL art festival in the history of independent Belarus stay unnoticed. Ekaterina Glod, analyst Dakh-9 took place in the Palace of Arts in Minsk. 3 Let’s start with art centres and galleries. The be- The festival had a status of the international event, ginning of the year seemed to be sad. The popular thanks to the artists of the German art centre Tache- FORCED Minsk gallery Podzemka (Underground) was quietly les and other partners (artists from 11 countries shut down when its owner decided it format was TRANSFORMATION participated in the festival). It’s been the ninth year ‘not interesting’. Luckily, the loss was more than of cooperation with Tacheles, which was reflected Olga Tomashevskaya, compensated by an opening of a new cultural centre in the name of the festival. Art lovers could take a journalist under the name ‘Ў’. The gallery ‘Ў’ is a book store, look at pieces of fine arts, sculptures, photo exhi- 5 a coffee place, a concert and cinema hall, and a bitions, as well as enjoy performances, literature, 1 2 (12), March 2010 music, theatre and video-art. On the whole the N.R.M., Krama, and Ulis – remembered their youth The return to festival generated considerable public excitement. by playing songs from the first albums. There was no single day when the Palace of Arts Basovishcha’s main competitor Belarusian – Ukrain- Belarusfilm of was not crowded. Most importantly, the festival ian festival Be Free is very likely to finally stop the previously was talked about. The opinions differed greatly. In travelling and get settled in Chernihiv this year. the Belarusian vacuum of debates, every discussion The main advantage of this music event is no visa ‘problematic’ is worth its weight in gold. requirements on the Ukrainian border. It is the need directors as Dakh-9 was preceded by an extremely interesting to get entry visas to Poland that makes great impact exposition of Belarusian modern art provocatively on the number of Basovishcha visitors. Mr. Kolbyshau, named Belarusian pavilion at the 53rd Venice Bien- Belarus can’t boast of music festivals of such a Mr. Kananovich and nale. It was provocative as in 2009 Belarus again did scale. However, the festivals BelaMusic 2009, not become a participant of this major exhibition. Graffitti Picnic, or Navalnitsa (Thunderstorm) Mr. Kudzinenka In line with the wisdom ‘if Belarusian artists do cannot stay unremarked. Regrettably, all festivals has become a real not come to Venice, bring Venice to them’, BelExpo were held around Minsk, leaving out the forgotten exhibition centre for a few days turned into the city provinces again. sensation. of gondolas, bridges and pigeons. One can presume We should also pay special attention to the concerts it was the first such a large-scale presentation of of Lacrimosa and Prodigy in Minsk. Hopefully, Belarusian modern art. Along with enjoying the thanks to them Minsk will finally become a regular exhibition, the public could receive comments from stop in the world stars’ tours and their fans will not critics, culture experts and authors. have to go to Warsaw or Moscow anymore. For Now let’s continue with discussing main develop- instance, Rammstein will make a stop in Minsk ments on the country’s ‘music front’. FM stations during its upcoming tour. with their cheap pop-music format did not change Let’s now move on to cinematography. In his recent much. However, television did pay attention to an interview, movie critic Andrei Rasinski has fairly alternative stage. The new seasons ofStar Ring and called the Belarusian cinema the most dreadful in Attention, Live Sound programmes presented to the world, and criticized some of its latest movies, the general public previously marginal Belarusian namely Dnepr Frontier (Днепровский рубеж) and rock groups. Assignment for You (Вам задание) for bad script Talking of music bands, a few of them properly and poor acting. During the last years Belarusfilm represented Belarus abroad. Rock revival band The got used to making ideologically correct military Toobes from Minsk could be named the debut of the films with zero artistic and commercial value, since keeping a job there does not mean making a year. It played as a warm-up for Franz Ferdinand successful movie. Belarusfilm survives on income in St. Petersburg and awoken the interest of the injections from the Russian movies which are often British producer Tricky. Minsk band Port Mone shot in Minsk due to lower prices. recorded the best album of the year, according to the Croatian website terapija.net., and interested Therefore, the return to Belarusfilm of the previ- a number of Muscovites during the Belarusian ously ‘problematic’ directors as Mr. Kolbyshau, Mr. music festival Mozhno! (You Can!). The festival Kananovich and Mr. Kudzinenka, the author of the also presented other bands popular among certain cult movie Occupation. Mysteries (Оккупация. groups of the public, such as freak-cabaret The Silver Мистерии), has become a real sensation. The Wedding (Серебряная Свадьба) or Cassiopeia movies shot by these former ‘partisans’ are even (Кассиопея). more interesting, for instance, Mr. Kolbyshau’s The Wolves (Волки), a psychological anti-totalitarian The Toobes’ main achievement is that their style drama. Mr. Kananovich with his graduate work differs from the mainstream Belarusian alterna- The Colour of Love (Цвет любви), has become tive music. They sound like a Western band. The super-popular among students. Currently he’s same is true for the participants of Mozhno! festi- working on a new comedy Money Tree (Денежное val – they incomparably differ from the ‘heroes of дерево) whereas Mr. Kudzinenka is working on a the underground’ – the formerly banned groups. bulba1-horror, the first Belarusian gothic horror Other interesting young bands were presented by movie with comedy elements. the website Experty.by which filled in the empty However, that might not be enough for serious, niche with music reviews after the natural ‘death’ systemic changes in the Belarusian cinematography. of the newspaper Muzykalnaya Gazeta. Among Belarusfilm structure has not changed since the the ‘good old guys’ the traditionally strong position Soviet times. This is a bureaucratic organization was kept by Liapis Trubetskoy (Ляпис Трубецкой) not used to advertising, promoting and selling with his new leftish anarchistic album Kultprosvet its products, not to speak about efforts to make a (Culture education), as well as Liavon Volski (Лявон movie a success. Вольский) and Zmitser Vatsiushkevich (Змитер Вайтюшкевич), who gathered interesting musicians Finally, I’d like to say a few words about media for their new joint projects. platforms informing the wide public about cultural The good old music festivalBasovishcha celebrated th its 20 anniversary in Poland, 20 km from the 1 bulba - potatoes in Belarusian, is a sym- Belarusian border. The old timers of the festival – bol plant of Belarus – translator’s remark.