Art Project “What unites us”

Concept

This project was created during the Year of the Belarusian Woman.

The artworks are painted in a modern style with elements of large-scale graphic art.

The compositions reflect fundamental Belarusian values: Peace, Family, Traditions, and Labour. These are shown through expressive female figures painted full-length to fit the vertical format of the canvases.

All the artworks share common visual elements: a peaceful blue sky, red and green colors, traditional Belarusian patterns (symbolizing youth), symbolic birds, and the flags of Belarus and the city of Novopolotsk. The entire series is tied together by the slogan “What unites us”.

Symbolism

Peace

At the top of the artwork, a white dove represents peace. A passenger airplane flies across the sky, leaving white trails that spread outward, symbolizing progress, growth, and a peaceful sky.

The middle of the composition features the image of a growing, vibrant, and thriving city behind a young woman’s silhouette.

At the bottom, the full-flowing Western Dvina River is shown with swimming fish (such as roach) and blooming water lilies, which are recognized symbols of the city of Novopolotsk.

The woman’s silhouette is wrapped in a ribbon of the Belarusian flag. Apple blossoms grow along the ribbon, representing spring and the celebration of Victory Day.

Family

In the center is a young Belarusian family: a mother, a father, and two children. Above them, two swans fly in the sky, symbolizing loyalty, love, and purity.

At the bottom of the canvas is a birch forest. The birch tree is a well-known symbol of Belarus, representing youth and femininity.

The woman wears a long white dress, which also stands for purity, femininity, and loyalty.

Motherland

The main image features a woman in a traditional Belarusian dress standing in a field of golden rye. Rye, the grain used to make bread, represents the fertility and rich harvest of the Belarusian land. Cornflowers (a national symbol of Belarus) grow among the rye, representing our deep connection to the native land passed down from previous generations.

A soaring stork flies in the sky. The stork is the main symbol of Belarus, representing national purity, peace, and the homeland.

At the bottom, among the rye, there is an image of a traditional Belarusian village: wooden houses, a green meadow, and smoke rising from a chimney, representing a warm hearth and homemade food.

Labour

The final artwork honors the collective image of a professional woman doing meaningful, creative work. Behind her are silhouettes of a city and factories. In her hands, she holds an oak sapling, symbolizing growth, culture, and community improvement. The tree’s crown is shaped like the map of Belarus. Her figure is wrapped in the Belarusian flag ribbon, and the bottom of the artwork is filled with various symbols of labor.

At the top of this composition is the silhouette of a crane. The crane is a rich symbol representing historical memory, peace, freedom, spring, well-being, and a deep bond with the homeland. The image of a dancing crane adds a positive and joyful feeling to these meanings.

Project authors: Maria Mukhomorova, Alisa Lutko