What does SHKLO means?
The word SHKLO [ШКЛО] in Belarusian means GLASS. Glass refers to the sight, the process of watching/looking/seeing - it can reflect, refract, be muddy or transparent, change reality and meanings. And in this, we see the resemblance to photography.
Aleksiada by Alexander Veledzimovich
Could you explain to us in a few words what SHKLO is? And the people behind the project?
This is a non-profit initiative, a small self-publishing collective about contemporary photography and visual art in Belarus. It was founded by artist Maxim Sarychau and producer Julia Vauchok, and supported by friends.
Our goal is to make artists from Belarus more noticeable in the field of international photography and to attract media and institutional attention. At the same time, it is important for us to understand what is happening today in the field of Belarusian photography, to highlight new names, to detect processes, to shape a community and to recall forgotten authors.
The Appleseed Necklace by Alexey Shlyk
What are the specificities of the photographic medium in Belarus?
A specific feature of Belarusian photography is its separation and isolation from the outside world. This comes from the lack of specialized photographic or artistic institutions, local artists' poor English, and the weak economic development of the country in general.
In the last seven years, a large number of cool young authors have appeared. They have something to say and they use modern visual language. But right now we can’t follow what is happening even inside the country, because there are no galleries or media that would show and write about the photograph. It is this vacuum that we are trying to fill.
Commemorative photo by Alexander Vasukovich
Why does this medium have a specific position in the artistic scene?
By inertia, we live in an environment where photography is still not considered art. This is a part of the Soviet legacy and its negative influence that we still have to overcome.
This can be clearly seen today - there is still no photo collection in the national art museum.
What will your first initiatives be?
We want to create an environment that connects authors and agents of photography: curators, photo editors and art collectors. For the first step, we will publish personal visual projects and news about the participation of Belarusian artists in major events and important publications in international media. It would be great if people know about us by word of mouth.
