It takes one message to spread the word these days, and it’s too expensive and cruel to stay silent when someone is bleeding and begging for help, especially when they are just around the corner. Joining Lithuania-born initiative Artists With Belarus and spreading the message, all in color and shape, is how artists from the whole world decided to support Belarus.
by RINGAILE PAPARTYTE
Belarus has been peacefully rallying for a few weeks now, filling the whole country in white, carrying flowers in their hands and hope in their hearts, making a step this nation has never had the strength to do before – asking for one thing every human deserves – freedom and justice.
Now that we have dozens of different tools and ways to participate, react, and support people or causes in need, activism is more common worldwide. But despite all the precious ways waiting for us to step into action, there always must be the inner drive that motivates one not to stay silent in the face of great tragedies and injustice. We spoke to the artists and people making Artists With Belarus alive, wanting to hear where that courage comes from.
Urte Karalaite, the initiator of Artists With Belarus
Though emotional bonds with the trending topic might encourage a person to act, initiatives of solidarity are becoming more common because people have started to understand that their voice matters, and they are more capable of fighting injustice, performing, speaking, and unite. There are so many ways to support the ones in need. We all try to help as best as we can so that the problem would be heard in every way possible.
I felt angry and pretty helpless following the events that took place after the Presidential election in Belarus; this is how the idea for Artists With Belarus was born. Injustice and cruelty towards others hurt me deeply. I wanted to do something, even though I understood my limits in this situation. This is when the childhood memories of the 13th of January 1991, when the Soviet aggression took place in Lithuania, came to my mind. Painting and drawing everything we saw, heard, and felt on that day was what we did as kids. Creating is a way to be active, spread the message, criticize, and discuss. This is why I’ve decided to use my best skills in organizing and communicating while inviting artists to contribute their works.
I felt angry and pretty helpless following the events that took place after the Presidential election in Belarus; this is how the idea for Artists With Belarus was born. Injustice and cruelty towards others hurt me deeply.
Artists With Belarus is spreading the message about the Belarussian regime’s cruelty creatively. And as wide as possible reaching people, especially those who are not used to follow the news. Online platforms are really useful in spreading the message. We’ll do it as long as there will be new pieces being submitted. Every posted piece will stay there for good spreading valuable messages.
Natalia Katsuba, Minsk
It’s impossible to stay silent when you feel all the chaos, mess, and injustice around. Always stayed distant from politics, but the latest events affect everyone!
I am so very proud of the Belarusian people and hope we’ll achieve justice. I want everybody to be free, feel free, and live and create in this country.
Why did I choose to create a poster? It’s a timeless tool for speaking out publicly.
Rafael Nuri, USA
It was very painful, so I decided that the pain would calm down a bit if I do something. I live in the United States, and I did not have the opportunity to go on the streets and scream about my pain and unfairness. That’s why I decided to create a doll that shows my pain for the Belarusian people and especially those who were brutally beaten and raped. Some people said that the doll should have been more heroic, but I did not create this doll as something political or something that would force people to fight for their rights. I just showed my pain in my art as I felt it.
Belarus has everything already. Belarus is the Belarusian people – amazing people. And Freedom!!! That’s what Belarus lacks now. I truly believe that Light will win over Evil. We can do it.
Tekle Ula Puzauskaite, Lithuania
I decided to share my works after seeing a few active people concerned about the latest events in Belarus. I have a public profile on social media, so not only my friends or family but also people from different parts of the world can notice my message and get to know what’s happening in Belarus. Even a few people spreading the message matters, this is how the news travels. It hurts seeing all the things happening around the globe and being unable to help, so I want to contribute and support the way I can.
My wish to Belarusians is not to step back. I think they showed enormous strength and made a huge step forward, so it’s very important not to waste it and move forward. Don’t stop.
Richard Soot, Estonian artist from Germany
For the most part, what drives people to act is seeing others next to you being affected. It’s much easier to dismiss an issue occurring if it doesn’t happen right in front of you. In my case, my significant other and many friends are Belarusian, so I’ve seen people around me be affected deeply. Seeing my girlfriend’s frustration with not being able to help her family and friends in Belarus, or join the protests really pulled me close enough to the issue. To be honest, though, I haven’t done much. I’m glad if people find value in what I’ve made, but really the attention should be on the people who are living in the situation. It’s also the goal of the poster I’ve made. To bring attention to those who really make the difference.
I’m really happy to see the fellowship among the people that have presented themselves during the protests. I’ll be very happy to see this stay in the culture. I really hope that the country ends up in a state of positive progress once the dust settles. It’s likely that whatever the protests’ outcome is, there will be a rough patch ahead. I hope that whoever ends up making the country’s decisions in the future has the best interest of the people in mind.
Akvile Magicdust, Lithuania
The illustration is my communication tool with the outside world, and if I feel something very strongly – I draw it. I don’t think about some injustice concerning ‘other people’, I think we all live in one world, and all that is happening here should matter to all of us. It’s like a general agreement of what is ok and what’s not. What is happening in Belarus is just not ok. I think there are way too many things that are not ok in the world, but now the lights are on Belarus, and while being from a neighboring country, I want to show some support to the Belarusian people. Drawing might not be the most powerful tool, but it’s what’ve I got.
Freedom is what I wish for Belarus!
The illustration is my communication tool with the outside world, and if I feel something very strongly – I draw it.
Can we stay silent doing nothing?
It’s too hard to see how Belarusians are being killed, injured, and compromised by the hands of their own people. Too hard to see indifference in the eyes of the EU and the rest of the world leaders. It’s too hard to see the main global media channels giving zero fucks to Belarus’s crucial transition.
And while so many things are so hard and hurtful, using your freedom to spread that one message is one extremely easy thing to do. Some, maybe hundreds, who have no idea about what’s happening around the corner, especially if that corner is thousands of kilometers away will hear that one message. And the whole nation, making a change of a lifetime, will know they are not alone in this.
It’s too hard to stay silent, really.
