My Apple Tree Behind Bars I Visual Art

The video "My Apple Tree Behind Bars" is a powerful expression of the experiences of Belarusians living in exile. It's an animated documentary created through a cross-cultural collaboration. We aim to draw attention to the injustices of the Lukashenko regime and support political prisoners by raising awareness and fostering solidarity. Through our initiatives, we strive to amplify the voices of those affected and advocate for their rights and freedom.
The background
When Ludmila Christeseva, the curator from Sweden, approached the visual artist Liliya Busarova in Poland with the idea of baking an apple pie using the recipe of Belarusian prisoners, it became a powerful animated biography intertwined with Liliya's personal story. The project gradually resonated with other artistic expressions bringing together Belarusian creators from various regions and disciplines. It also widely resonated with Ukrainian refugees who saw their personal experiences reflected in the storytelling - Where is my apple tree?
It's heartwarming to see women worldwide join in with their recipes, making this project a growing collection representing Belarusian national identity. It's wonderful to support other cultures and civilians. Please join us with your recipes and your story.
The project will combine baking events that will offer to taste apple pie baked by the recipe of the imprisoned Swedish citizen in Belarus, Galina Krasnianskaya. The presentations will be held during international apple, art, books, and ecological festivals.
Manifest:
The story of Belarus today can be unpacked through the act of baking an apple pie without its main ingredient. The apples are not from my garden or my tree, so they will never taste the same. And I have no one to share it with-my friends are in jail. My country, once abundant in culture and outstanding souls, is now under siege. My home, filled with family narratives, has been taken away. Such emptiness is impossible to fill.
I stand here under the shadows of the apple tree, longing for my Belarus-a land stripped of its native language, with people who have no roots and no place to return to. I try to enjoy the apple pie. I swallow. The taste is hollow, not the same. The experience is incomplete. It embodies the pain and loss we endure as we wait for the day when the apple tree I planted with my grandparents will once again bear fruit, and the essence of Belarus will be restored for each of us. Until then, I hold onto sharing my story, my heritage, and my dream of a homeland through my art projects.
"My Apple Tree Behind Bars"
Illustrations: Liliya Busarova
Voice over: Liliya Busarova
Producer: Ludmila Christeseva
Music: Andrew Evdokimov
@contemporarybelarusianart
Read more at artten.se/
christeseva.com/
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