Sixth object
consisting of three parts:

Pyramid of Alienation


Observing Eye,
Colorless Rainbow and
Sickle for Self-Amputation

Contemporary mythology:
Myths about fear
Monumental works:
Fragment of the relief ‘Solidarity’ at the House of Fashion in Minsk
Fear is one of the cross-cutting themes in modern myths and anecdotes about Belarus. Censorship, and to an even greater extent self-censorship are strong. Belarusian citizens are alienated from their government but delegate the authorities to care for all areas of their lives. Among the many prohibitions there are some that are completely absurd: for example, after the series of ‘silent protest actions’ in 2011, the authorities banned applause in public places.

Sculptural frieze ‘Solidarity’ is located in the centre of Minsk on the House of Fashion. In its centre is a pyramid formed by two banners with an arc, a sickle and a ball positioned inside. It seems to refer to the Christian symbol of the all-seeing eye (Eye of Providence), which in the Belarusian context also becomes a symbol of total control.

The sixth object of the installation is a pyramid-shaped box, with a colourless rainbow and a sickle placed inside it. The sickle has many connotations: for example, it is an instrument of the God of Time and the Priest of Death, Chronos. At the same time it refers to self-castration or the self-amputation of limbs and thus becomes an artistic symbol of alienation and submission to the authorities.

The rainbow is not only a symbol of the LGBTQ community; it is a symbol of diversity in society as a whole. However the rainbow in the box is colourless, making it a symbol of normativity that subjugates the Belarusian society.
1. The all-seeing eye in a radiant pyramid ー it is a Masonic symbol as well

2. The pyramid sign from the ‘Solidarity’ frieze also served as a basis for a flag-shaped symbol in Sergey Shabohin’s project ‘Practices of subordination’

3. Sculptural frieze ‘Solidarity’: in its centre are a pyramid formed by two banners, an arc, a sickle and a ball

© photo: Sergey Shabohin

4. Photos of the members of the ‘Skoptsy’ sect (men and women with amputated body parts) 

5. Chronos with a sickle

6. Engraving depicting castration

7. Arch resembling a colourless rainbow, dedicated to the friendship of peoples of Russia and Ukraine and located in the city of Kyiv.

8. One of the symbols of Chronos