Festival of Belarusian Contemporary Video Art SAMASIEJ held at Bialystok University of Technology

In the modern interiors of the Centre for Modern Education of Bialystok University of Technology, the audience had the opportunity to experience the work of 12 artists from Belarus and neighbouring countries. Visitors could take part in workshops, discussions on art and identity, and listen to experimental ambient music.

The main exhibition of the festival revolved around the white stork Pfeilstorch (German: “stork pierced by an arrow”) — a bird found in Germany in 1822 with an African spear embedded in its body. Despite the wound, it survived the migration and returned to Europe.

– It is an extraordinary metaphor for contemporary migration, especially forced migration, which affects people from Belarus as well as from other parts of the world – said curator Uladzimir Hramovich. – The stork that survived and returned has become, for me, a symbol of endurance, strength, and the return to one’s roots.

The exhibition “I Am Pfeilstorch” featured works by artists from Belarus, Poland, Germany, and Lithuania who, through video art, explore the theme of borders – geographical, political, emotional, and spiritual. The invited artists included Bergamot, Jura Shust, Nadya Sayapina, Yulia Tsvietkova, Roza Busel, Lesia Pcholka, Dasha Sazanovich, Tania Licheuskaya, Tytus Szabelski-Różniak, Ulad Bokhan, Hanna Paniutich, and Marija Nemčenko Aržanych.

– Artists always work with issues that others prefer to ignore. Sometimes something beautiful arises from pain. We reveal the fragile sides of life – traumas and invisible problems – and turn them into powerful art – emphasised Uladzimir Hramovich.

In addition to the exhibition, visitors could enjoy:

• screenings of documentary and experimental films,
• concerts of experimental music,
• curatorial tours in three languages (Belarusian, Polish, and English),
• meetings with artists,
• workshops and discussions on art and identity.

The name of the Festival of Belarusian Contemporary Video Art was inspired by “Samosiej” (“Samasiej” in Belarusian), a novel by Sokrat Janowicz, a Belarusian-Polish writer from the Podlasie region. Samasiej (meaning “self-sowing plant”) is not only a title but also a symbolic principle — the ability to develop independently, to create under unfavourable conditions, to be self-reliant and free. Thus, the SAMASIEJ Festival became a space for art that “sows itself” – resilient, alive, and independent.

The First Festival of Belarusian Contemporary Video Art SAMASIEJ took place from 3 to 7 October 2025. Thanks to the fruitful cooperation between the Belarusian Cultural Centre in Bialystok and Bialystok University of Technology, the event gained a unique, modern space for exhibitions and accompanying activities. The artistic heart of the festival was the lobby of the Centre for Modern Education of Bialystok University of Technology, at 16 Zwierzyniecka Street.

The full festival programme and exhibition opening hours are available at www.ckb.bialystok.pl.

Organiser: Belarusian Cultural Centre in Bialystok. Partners: Bialystok University of Technology, Arsenal Gallery in Bialystok, Mochnarte Foundation
The SAMASIEJ Festival is held under the Patronage of the Rector of Bialystok University of Technology.
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See the photo gallery from the SAMASIEJ Festival at the Centre for Modern Education of Bialystok University of Technology: