14 August 2020
Artem Loskutov, Novosibirsk artist, organiser of the ‘Monstration’ marches and Moscow Helsinki Group prize laureate
Source: Moscow Helsinki Group [original source: facebook.com/artemloskutov]
Novosibirsk artist, organiser of the ‘Monstration’ marches, and Moscow Helsinki Group prize laureate Artem Loskutov has painted the picture ‘Belarus’. The flowing blood-red stripes, printed on white canvas with a police truncheon, resemble a white-red-white flag, the state flag of Belarus from 1991 to 1995, and now a symbol of opposition to the Belarusian regime, and decry the cruelty used against protesters. “I’m shocked. I’m surprised at brutality of the Minsk and Belarusian security forces. I don’t understand the reasons for these actions. It’s obvious here, that people are behaving peacefully, perhaps even purposefully peaceful in this situation, they’re not stopping anyone from doing anything, there’s no aggression – and police chase and start to beat them with truncheons. Now the violence is of a different order” Loskutov says in an interview with Deutsche Welle.
The painting ‘Belarus’ was created in the style of ‘truncheon-painting’, conceived by him. The artist put it up for auction on Facebook, and half of the proceeds from the sale will go towards supporting Belarusians.
PS: the painting was sold for 3 million rubles
