Y Minsk

Examining various documentary projects on Belarus, I was always concerned about the fact that I could not find myself in them. Perception of the state through clichés – dictatorship of the government, the Soviet past, alienation – creates an image, which it is difficult to identify with.

At the same time, I have noticed that my city and its surroundings have started to change. I cannot tell with any certainty what could be the reason for that – closeness to Europe, flow of some capital in the state or merely a new generation. Yet, in the old landscape new buildings start to appear, the cultural and social life has been given a spin, some movement can be felt in the city.

Although all these apparent changes have taken place, in my protagonist devoid of any stereotypes I feel elusive sadness, anxiety and lack of any future guidelines. It is similar to sadness, which arises when the awareness of one’s passing youth emerges.

What are we like, the new generation? What is our youth like? Where is its beginning and does it have any end?

In project Y Minsk I am trying to construct another image, detached from the conditionality of the perception context, as well as to understand questions, which arise, when documenting my generation and the city.

Alexey Naumchik (1983) is a photographer from Belarus. He also works as a teacher at the School of Photography in Minsk.