MOGILEV, 8 December (BelTA) - Students of Mogilev Industrial and Economic College are actively learning the Belarusian craft of papercutting (vytsinanka), BelTA has learned.
Vytsinanka is the art of paper cutting, which originated in Belarus in the 16th century. Today, it is experiencing a revival: from an almost forgotten folk decoration, it has evolved into a trend inspiring youth and artists. Belarusian vytsinanka has been recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage element. This is the sixth element from Belarus to be included in the global list of intangible heritage.
“In the past, our ancestors used vytsinanka to decorate windows because not everyone could afford fabric curtains. Producing textiles was a complex and costly process. Vytsinanka, on the other hand, was a simple, effective, and beautiful way to adorn the home. It was most commonly used to decorate windows for New Year, Christmas and Easter. They created so-called 'crowns' or intricate, lacy cut-out compositions,” explained college teacher Danuta Chekh-Astrashevskaya.
Currently, around 90 students from different years at the college are engaged in vytsinanka. The activities take place in the form of a creative hobby club. The students draw their own sketches and cut out compositions, rejecting plagiarism in favor of an original approach.
"We first learn using ready-made templates to master the technique. Then, we move on to our own designs. This is art - complex yet highly engaging,” Danuta Chekh-Astrashevskaya emphasized.
Recently, 30 student works were on display as part of an exhibition at the Romanov Mogilev Regional History Museum. Several other pieces are adorning the walls of the Karl Marx Central City Library as part of New Year exhibitions of decorative, applied, and visual arts.
Second-year student Maria Sutolichnaya has been practicing vytsinanka for just over two months. “I wanted to revisit my childhood. After all, we all cut out snowflakes in kindergarten and school. But here, I discovered something new: now I sketch designs, cut them out, and experiment with different techniques. Besides vytsinanka, I also enjoy embroidery, knitting, and sculpting,” Maria noted.
The college has been participating in Belarusian folk art festivals, including Belarusian Wreath, for many years, and its students are regular winners of regional and national competitions, from Tech Christmas Tree to Fashion Mill.Such initiatives not only preserve folk traditions but also inspire youth to express themselves creatively through their native culture.
Vytsinanka is the art of paper cutting, which originated in Belarus in the 16th century. Today, it is experiencing a revival: from an almost forgotten folk decoration, it has evolved into a trend inspiring youth and artists. Belarusian vytsinanka has been recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage element. This is the sixth element from Belarus to be included in the global list of intangible heritage.
“In the past, our ancestors used vytsinanka to decorate windows because not everyone could afford fabric curtains. Producing textiles was a complex and costly process. Vytsinanka, on the other hand, was a simple, effective, and beautiful way to adorn the home. It was most commonly used to decorate windows for New Year, Christmas and Easter. They created so-called 'crowns' or intricate, lacy cut-out compositions,” explained college teacher Danuta Chekh-Astrashevskaya.
Currently, around 90 students from different years at the college are engaged in vytsinanka. The activities take place in the form of a creative hobby club. The students draw their own sketches and cut out compositions, rejecting plagiarism in favor of an original approach.
"We first learn using ready-made templates to master the technique. Then, we move on to our own designs. This is art - complex yet highly engaging,” Danuta Chekh-Astrashevskaya emphasized.
Recently, 30 student works were on display as part of an exhibition at the Romanov Mogilev Regional History Museum. Several other pieces are adorning the walls of the Karl Marx Central City Library as part of New Year exhibitions of decorative, applied, and visual arts.
Second-year student Maria Sutolichnaya has been practicing vytsinanka for just over two months. “I wanted to revisit my childhood. After all, we all cut out snowflakes in kindergarten and school. But here, I discovered something new: now I sketch designs, cut them out, and experiment with different techniques. Besides vytsinanka, I also enjoy embroidery, knitting, and sculpting,” Maria noted.
The college has been participating in Belarusian folk art festivals, including Belarusian Wreath, for many years, and its students are regular winners of regional and national competitions, from Tech Christmas Tree to Fashion Mill.Such initiatives not only preserve folk traditions but also inspire youth to express themselves creatively through their native culture.
Photos by Oleg Foinitsky/BelTA
Follow us on:
