From March 7 to April 14, 2024, the Ashmiany Local History Museum n.a. F.K. Bogushevich hosts an exhibition of watercolors and graphic works by Academician Alexander Lokotko, Director of the Centre for the Belarusian Culture, Language and Literature Researches of the NAS of Belarus, The World called Belarus (“Сусвет пад назвай Беларусь”).

Alexander Ivanovich Lokotko is an architect, Doctor of Architecture, Doctor of History, Professor, Academician of the NAS of Belarus, Honored Scientist of the Republic of Belarus, winner of the Prize For Spiritual Revival.

The exhibition in Ashmiany presents the author’s works of recent years, reflecting the bright, colorful flavor of nature, the expanses of the Belarusian land under a high peaceful sky. It reflects not only the color, but also the emotional dynamics of the landscape, clouds, gusts of wind, juicy colors, distances, country roads, blue eyes of lakes. Blooming Belarus... The yards and streets of a traditional village, an old town, overshadowed by the gospel of little church cupolas look cozy in the bosom of nature.

The graphic works are dedicated to the Belarusian State Museum of Folk Architecture and Rural Lifestyle, which the author has been working on for many years. Here are fresh sketches of samples of folk traditional architecture of the Belarusian Minsk region (Central region), the Paazierje, the Padniaprowje. The work reveals the sense of scale, proportions, and texture of old wood, deeply imprinted by folk architects in ancient churches, yards and manors, windmills and other buildings that have long formed the habitat of a peasant baker.

Alexander Lokotko has been engaged in painting and graphics for more than fifty years, since his student days. He worked in the field of restoration of monuments of Belarusian architecture, created the Belarusian State Museum of Folk Architecture and Rural Lifestyle, conducted long-term scientific research in the field of protection of national historical and cultural heritage, development of national culture and arts. He is the author of books, albums and numerous articles on this topic.