Photo exhibition under control of ideologists

An exhibition of amateur photos is to be held in a city park in Babruisk on September 8.

“Photo drying” is an exhibition for amateur photographers who hang their snapshots on strings using clothespins. Other photographers or viewers can take the photos they like. These exhibitions are popular in Russian and Belarusian towns. The art project has not limitations. The only condition set by author of the idea Andrei Kezin is not to show erotic photos to children, Viasna human rights centre reports.

“The genre is free,” the organiser, a local photographer Katsiaryna Sahanidze-Kakotava, says. She organises the exhibition in cooperation with the ideology department of the city executive committee. Babruisk residents are not recommended to show erotic works because children may attend the event.

However, the community on Vkontakte social networking website sets other conditions for photographers. Erotic photos and the works promoting the ideas of fascism, racism and extremism as well as photos of the “opposition nature” are banned. It's not fully clear what organisers mean, but authors are probably supposed to use self-censorship and present the censored art.

Similar exhibitions in other Belarusian towns were organised only after a check by local ideologists.