“Belarusians with Ukraine in Their Hearts”: Exhibition Opening

On 31 October, the Free Belarus Museum in Warsaw opened the exhibition “Belarusians with Ukraine in Their Hearts”. The artworks on display were created during an art plein air dedicated to the memory of Ukraine’s defenders, held in November 2015. At the time, Belarusian artists worked in the village of Pisky, in Volnovakha and in the area around Donetsk Airport — close to the frontline.

The opening began with a tribute to the memory of Belarusian volunteer Vital (Vitushka) Tryhubau, who was killed in Ukraine on 19 October.

During the event, we spoke with artist Andrus Takindang, who recalled the conditions in which the artworks were created and what he and the other participants experienced near the frontline. We also paid tribute to Ales Pushkin, one of the plein air’s initiators, who died in a Belarusian prison in 2023. Two of his works are included in the exhibition.

The opening also featured Belsat’s moving report, “Brushes Instead of Guns”. Its author, director and volunteer Antos Tsialeznikau, shared the story behind the plein air and his memories of Ales Pushkin.

We were particularly honoured to welcome Petro Laurenka, First Secretary of the Embassy of Ukraine in Poland. Other guests included Mikała Varonin, representing the civic initiative “Euromaidan — Warsaw”, Polish serviceman Grzegorz Antoszewski, and Belarusian activist Aleh Aksionau.

As part of the opening, we also presented the updated exhibition “Entry Point” — “Time of Heroes”, dedicated to Belarusian volunteers fighting on Ukraine’s side.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the international charitable foundation “Valoshka” and its head, Anzhela Dushaeva, for preserving this important part of Belarusian-Ukrainian history and making it possible to share it with our visitors.

The exhibition “Belarusians with Ukraine in Their Hearts” is open to visitors until 12 November 2026.

📍 Free Belarus Museum, Foksal 11/1, Warsaw

Free admission.

‍