Ales Marachkin’s Painting Stolen At Collecting Signatures Picket

It happened at the picket held in support of nomination of Ales Talstyka.

An unknown person stole the reproduction of the painting “Belarusian Puppets” by Ales Marachkin during a picket dedicated to collection of signatures for nomination of entrepreneur movement activist Ales Taustyka. The incident happened on July 13 in Minsk city center near the “Central” department store, BelaPAN news agency reports.

The signature collectors unfolded the white-red-white flag, as well as the flags of the USA and the EU. Soon after the picket started, Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Popular Front Ryhor Kastusiou and philosopher Uladzimir Padgol brought several paintings by Ales Marachkin. One of them was the countour outline on the cardboard depicting Interior Minister Ihar Shunevich wearing the NKVD officer uniform , and reproduction of the painting “Belarusian Puppets” , the original of which had been confiscated by policemen who had searched the artist’s studio back in March 2008. This artwork depicts Aliaksandr Lukashenka and a dozen of officials in the form of a caricature.

The signature collectors placed these two artworks under the US flag on purpose. Soon, Head of the City Administration of Internal Affairs of Minsk City Executive Committee Aliaksandr Barsukou and Deputy Head of the Public Security Police of the City Administration of Internal Affairs Maksim Hryshchanka approached Talstyka, accompanied by a great number of force structures officers in plain clothes. They demanded that Talstyka should show the documents allowing him to conduct a picket to collect signatures.

An unknown person wearing shorts and a sweatshirt with hood on took advantage of the fact that the picketers and the journalists got distracted by this procedure, seized the painting and ran towards the GUM department store.

The signature collectors claim they plan to address to Shunevich upon the fact of stealing property.