MINSK, 11 February (BelTA) - The Code of Myths exhibition project has opened at the National Library of Belarus, BelTA has learned.
The project invites visitors on a journey into the world of mythological heritage, revealing the connection between classical antiquity and Belarusian culture. The Code of Myths demonstrates how the images and narratives of ancient myths have been reflected and uniquely reinterpreted in Belarusian culture, art, and traditions. It allows for a deeper understanding of how classical culture and mythology have, over the centuries, enriched Belarusian architecture, decorative and applied arts, ornamentation, aesthetic ideals, and imagery.
The exhibition features over 200 exhibits. Among them are publications, artworks, and artifacts of Belarusian origin that trace Greek heritage: Belarusian national costumes adorned with the Greek geometric “meander” pattern, recreated copies of Slutsk sashes depicting ancient Greek amphorae, authentic Belarusian rushnyk towels from the 19th–20th centuries where craftsmen creatively interpreted Greek ornaments, and preserved fragments of wooden chapiters from architectural structures once found on Belarusian territory.
“When you start to delve into it, it's astonishing to find traces of Greece in Belarusian art. What surprised me most was the work of an artist from the Belarusian Academy of Arts: a collection of dresses inspired by the Kalozha Church, which features Greek ornamentation. The result is a contemporary and completely unexpected piece. Alina Fedorishina, Head of the Project and Exhibition Sector of the Gallery and Exhibition Department of the National Library, highlighted Fyodor Shurmelev’s vibrant graphic work “Hercules and the Amazons.”
The library’s Deputy Director General, Lyudmila Vysotskaya, emphasized the shared worldview between Greek and Belarusian mythology, rooted in the centuries-old belief in the triumph of good over evil. According to her, the collection not only includes items with shared mythological elements, but also features a very rare, authentic 16th-century engraving, lent to the library by Belarusian collector Dmitry Yerotov.
Some exhibits were provided by the Center for Research of Belarusian Culture, Language and Literature of the National Academy of Sciences, the Belarusian National Public Association of Collectors, the Belarusian Union of Artists, and the Slutsk Sashes enterprise.
Viktor Suvorov, a member of the Belarusian National Public Association of Collectors, contributed his porcelain figurines to the exhibition. “Our association has a long history of collaborating with the library. This is my fourth project here, having previously participated in exhibitions dedicated to porcelain, New Year, and lottery tickets. When asked if I had anything related to Ancient Greece, I discovered two putti figurines, a bust of Aphrodite, and sculptures of the Three Graces. According to one version, their father was Zeus, and according to another, Dionysus,” the collector said.
According to Associate Professor Aleksei Kozlenko, a Candidate of Historical Sciences and a lecturer at the Department of Ancient and Medieval History of the History Faculty of Belarusian State University (BSU), Greece is the cradle of the entire European civilization. It is not only the oldest civilization in Europe but also the first civilization of the written word. The first European-language texts were the Iliad and the Odyssey, which originated in the mid-8th century BCE.
Svetlana Bondarchuk, Director of the Slutsk Belts enterprise, emphasized that many geometric elements in the patterns of Belarusian folk arts, as well as elements of folk dances and music, resonate with Greece. Despite the two cultures having developed in relatively different conditions, they share a common approach to universal human milestones: family, marriage, and the birth of children. Many rituals characteristic of the Greeks can also be found in Belarusian culture.
The exhibition space was complemented by contemporary artworks by students of the Minsk State Gymnasium-College of Arts, inspired by classical mythology. According to Olga Lysak, the Deputy Director for Academic Affairs of the gymnasium-college, they presented around 20 paintings, a handmade book, and ceramic works. “Belarusian folktales and Greek mythology both generate great interest among students of various ages. Of course, they read and studied specific works and created illustrations for them in collaboration with teachers who specialize in this area,” said Olga Lysak.
The exhibition will continue through 15 May. Admission is available with a reader’s pass or a pass to the National Library’s sociocultural center.
The project invites visitors on a journey into the world of mythological heritage, revealing the connection between classical antiquity and Belarusian culture. The Code of Myths demonstrates how the images and narratives of ancient myths have been reflected and uniquely reinterpreted in Belarusian culture, art, and traditions. It allows for a deeper understanding of how classical culture and mythology have, over the centuries, enriched Belarusian architecture, decorative and applied arts, ornamentation, aesthetic ideals, and imagery.
The exhibition features over 200 exhibits. Among them are publications, artworks, and artifacts of Belarusian origin that trace Greek heritage: Belarusian national costumes adorned with the Greek geometric “meander” pattern, recreated copies of Slutsk sashes depicting ancient Greek amphorae, authentic Belarusian rushnyk towels from the 19th–20th centuries where craftsmen creatively interpreted Greek ornaments, and preserved fragments of wooden chapiters from architectural structures once found on Belarusian territory.“When you start to delve into it, it's astonishing to find traces of Greece in Belarusian art. What surprised me most was the work of an artist from the Belarusian Academy of Arts: a collection of dresses inspired by the Kalozha Church, which features Greek ornamentation. The result is a contemporary and completely unexpected piece. Alina Fedorishina, Head of the Project and Exhibition Sector of the Gallery and Exhibition Department of the National Library, highlighted Fyodor Shurmelev’s vibrant graphic work “Hercules and the Amazons.”
The library’s Deputy Director General, Lyudmila Vysotskaya, emphasized the shared worldview between Greek and Belarusian mythology, rooted in the centuries-old belief in the triumph of good over evil. According to her, the collection not only includes items with shared mythological elements, but also features a very rare, authentic 16th-century engraving, lent to the library by Belarusian collector Dmitry Yerotov.
Some exhibits were provided by the Center for Research of Belarusian Culture, Language and Literature of the National Academy of Sciences, the Belarusian National Public Association of Collectors, the Belarusian Union of Artists, and the Slutsk Sashes enterprise.
Viktor Suvorov, a member of the Belarusian National Public Association of Collectors, contributed his porcelain figurines to the exhibition. “Our association has a long history of collaborating with the library. This is my fourth project here, having previously participated in exhibitions dedicated to porcelain, New Year, and lottery tickets. When asked if I had anything related to Ancient Greece, I discovered two putti figurines, a bust of Aphrodite, and sculptures of the Three Graces. According to one version, their father was Zeus, and according to another, Dionysus,” the collector said.
According to Associate Professor Aleksei Kozlenko, a Candidate of Historical Sciences and a lecturer at the Department of Ancient and Medieval History of the History Faculty of Belarusian State University (BSU), Greece is the cradle of the entire European civilization. It is not only the oldest civilization in Europe but also the first civilization of the written word. The first European-language texts were the Iliad and the Odyssey, which originated in the mid-8th century BCE. Svetlana Bondarchuk, Director of the Slutsk Belts enterprise, emphasized that many geometric elements in the patterns of Belarusian folk arts, as well as elements of folk dances and music, resonate with Greece. Despite the two cultures having developed in relatively different conditions, they share a common approach to universal human milestones: family, marriage, and the birth of children. Many rituals characteristic of the Greeks can also be found in Belarusian culture.
The exhibition space was complemented by contemporary artworks by students of the Minsk State Gymnasium-College of Arts, inspired by classical mythology. According to Olga Lysak, the Deputy Director for Academic Affairs of the gymnasium-college, they presented around 20 paintings, a handmade book, and ceramic works. “Belarusian folktales and Greek mythology both generate great interest among students of various ages. Of course, they read and studied specific works and created illustrations for them in collaboration with teachers who specialize in this area,” said Olga Lysak.
The exhibition will continue through 15 May. Admission is available with a reader’s pass or a pass to the National Library’s sociocultural center.
Photos by Tatyana Matusevich
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