The Spectacular Legacy of a Belarusian Photographer; Unfulfilled Love for Homeland Amid Historical Changes

During the perestroika era and the early years of Belarus's independence, "Siarhei Brusko" captured the country's transition from the Soviet Union to an independent nation and the rise of Alexander Lukashenko, its current authoritarian leader, through impactful black-and-white photographs. Brusko passed away in 2000 at the age of 42 due to Raynaud's disease, but his legacy remains in a collection of images from this tumultuous period. His son, Dmitry Brusko, reflected on his father's life and work while sharing these images with Radio Free Europe. Brusko was born in the small village of Haradziyeha near Minsk and became interested in photography at the age of seven when he was given a camera. He later studied geology at university, but his passion for photography led him to the university's photo lab to enhance his printing skills. Dmitry recalls, "My grandfather did not understand photography and often asked what kind of job being a photographer was." After graduating, Brusko initially worked in a photo studio in Salihorsk and then at a local newspaper, gaining recognition for his talent. He was eventually invited to work for major newspapers "Banner of Youth" and "Chirounka," both of which had print runs exceeding 500,000 copies in the late 1980s. Dmitry mentions, "My father had to live in a photo lab in the basement of the printing house. I remember that place well. I still hear the roar of the subway trains there. Staying there at night was prohibited, and a police officer was on guard." The newspaper Brusko worked for was youth-oriented and reformist, often angering officials. Dmitry recalls, "My father was summoned by local authorities many times, but he joked that it was just a severe reprimand without any real punishment." Dmitry states, "We have a family trait: we joke in critical situations. Laughter dispels fear and increases alertness." Alexander Lukashenko is seen during Victory Day celebrations on May 9, 1995, commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. Dmitry studied art and aspired to attend the State College of Minsk, the hub of Belarusian artistic life. However, his father had a different opinion and told him, "You don't need a specific specialization. Just communicate well, and I will teach you photography." Despite his illness, Brusko taught Dmitry the technical and artistic aspects of photography. Dmitry recalls, "My father also taught me life lessons. On the first floor, the photo labs had ventilation systems. When they were drinking vodka, the sound of clinking glasses could be heard all over Belarus. Everyone knew my father's voice. When I made a mistake and he yelled at me, they shook their heads in pity and smiled." Dmitry admits that if his father had not passed away early, he would never have pursued photojournalism. At that time, he was 19 years old and was deeply affected by the words of his father's colleagues at the funeral. One of them pointed out that his father left behind a significant legacy of photographs that needed to be preserved. Brusko's archive was kept at the editorial office of the "Narodnaya" magazine. Colleagues said that immediately after his death, the newspaper decided to erase his works. Dmitry states, "My father had previously moved some of his archive to my grandmother's house. A significant portion of the archive was kept there for six years until his death. After his death, I asked my relatives not to throw away the archive. Unfortunately, they burned part of it. They even burned a photo from his exhibition at the National Art Museum and kept the glass plates of the photos for use in the greenhouse." In 2015, Pavel Latushka, the then-Belarusian ambassador to France, invited journalists to the Belarus Fashion Week in Paris. This was an opportunity for Dmitry to take part of his father's legacy, which had been labeled "extremist" by Lukashenko's government, out of Belarus. Dmitry explains, "This book contained photos of the Belarusian army, Chernobyl, and everyday life in the 80s and 90s. There was no politics or symbolism in it, just a sense of time." Dmitry managed to transfer some of his father's printed photos to Paris. He says, "Archiving is always difficult, expensive, and cumbersome. You need to know when and where the photo was taken. You have to research and learn interesting things about your country's history. It's hard archival work to recover memory. But I have something in my life that I can be proud of: my father's work." In 1998, Brusko held an exhibition at the National Art Museum, despite the museum director's opposition. They had initially offered the exhibition to another photographer, but he declined, and Brusko accepted. Dmitry states, "My father was seriously ill at that time and knew he didn't have much time left. He was literally attached to this project. His output was this: going on work trips and taking photos; not just taking a collection of photos but nurturing a theme and bringing it to fruition." Brusko took photos for his final project for a year and even went to the Chernobyl exclusion zone. This work was sometimes physically challenging and often made him ill and hospitalized. While working on the project, he was told to document his disability, but he refused. Dmitry says, "My father had a small apartment under his workshop, and he had the enlarger on the washing machine there. Sometimes he was in so much pain that he couldn't walk and could only crawl. Yet, he did all the work himself: selecting, printing, and retouching the photos. I often visited him, although seeing him in that condition was very painful for me." The exhibition at the National Art Museum became an important event, covered by all television channels. At that time, Brusko finally realized the importance of photography. Dmitry adds, "He always thought photography was not a serious job, but after reading about his son in the newspapers and seeing his work on television, he finally accepted his son's profession." At the same time, the book "In Search of Belarus" was published 12 years after the Chernobyl disaster, but only 50 censored copies reached Belarus, and some of its pages were blank. Dmitry recounts another story about an exhibition held in 2011. The cinema manager informed him that the exhibition was canceled because a senior officer from the adjacent building (the KGB office) said the exhibition discredited the country. "The photos in the exhibition were about life in Belarus - nothing special, there was no politics involved. Someone with an anonymous number called me and said, 'I used to talk to your father, and now I have to talk to you.' He introduced himself as the deputy head of the presidential security service. 'Then he yelled on the phone that if you publish this again, I will take you to court! Where is your father?' I said he passed away 10 years ago, and he hung up the call.