Malyavanka

• acrylic on canvas, 2023

The works are a continuation of the project “SelPO, or Unmotivated Acts of Beauty”, which is a reflection on Belarusian hand-painted carpets, so-called malyavankas.

Malyavankas were very popular in Belarusian villages in the 1930s-50s. Their creators borrowed ornamentation and themes from traditional weaving, embroidery and painting, creating a kind of imitation carpet. Not only were they a sign of luxury and prosperity in the home, but they also served as amulets and peculiar “portals” to other, mystical worlds. Many years later, malyavankas became a manifestation of living artistic practice and a characteristic phenomenon of Belarusian folk culture.

An additional aspect in the process of creating the work was the fact that for the artist-emigrant, making the “carpet” for her rented flat in Poland was an attempt to imitate the cosy atmosphere of home.