Official was afraid that Christ made of sand would offend believers’ feelings :: Charter'97 :: News

Yesterday the Hrodna authorities turned down the Belarusian sculptor Ganik Loika’s request on holding the IX artistic plain air exhibition “Legend made of Sand” in the city.

In his interview to the BelaPAN the artist reported that head of the culture department of the Hrodna city executive committee Genadz Zhelyaznyak in his telephone conversation motivated the refusal by the place chosen for the supposed artistic action and its topic. ”The official mentioned that the city management didn’t like any of the places suggested for the plain air performance. But the most important thing is that the plain air subject “Christ landed in Hrodna” named after the novel of the well-known Belarusian classical writer Uladzimir Karatkevich was not to their liking”.

According to Zhalyaznyak, this subject might arouse ambiguous response of representatives of different confessions. But he could not definitely explain why.

It is to be mentioned that the action was foreseen to be conducted in Hrodna from 20 to 22 July with participation of the Minsk schoolchildren, students and graduates. On the bank of the Nioman River it was planned to make of sand the sculpture of Christ lying on the ground embracing the Rhonda land.