The Ruins of Belarus – a collection that tells the story of our stone buildings. In their time, all structures in Belarus were under threat of destruction – wars, neglect, and state violence ruined castles and churches, town halls and temples, synagogues and houses. Many of them disappeared without a trace from the earth, but remained in photographs. Some were saved, creating our environment and embodying ancient history. Others continue to crumble and need our help to avoid disappearing completely. In the photographs, we also see the people connected to these stone buildings. Some pose against the backdrop of ruins, wanting to touch noble antiquity or preserve memories of beloved places, while others mock the ruined cities they came to occupy. Thus, photographs tell us about the fragility of a world where yesterday's unshakeable wall lies beneath our feet, but also about the resilience of memory, when, through oblivion and neglect, people return to the stones of their homeland.
Concept author, project curator, photo editor, introduction: Lesia Pchulka Cataloging, library research and architectural descriptions: Asia Khmyz Essay author and editing of architectural descriptions: Uladzimir Hramovich
Consultants: Vitebsk region — Kastus Shythal, Gomel region — Yauhen Malikau, Grodno region — Stsepan Stureika, Mogilev region — Ales David Lisouski
Graphic design: Karolina Pietrzyk, Tobias Wenig Format: 240 × 320 mm Number of pages: 256 Cover: Munken Lynx 400 g. Inner pages: Munken Print White, 115 g
"The Ruins of Belarus" – a book prepared by the VEHA archive, published by Arsenal Gallery and the Center for Belarusian Culture in Białystok
PUBLISHER: ISBN 978-83-66262-30-0 — Galeria Arsenał w Białymstoku ISBN 978-83-972232-6-4 — Centrum Kultury Białoruskiej w Białymstoku
