Overview

It's hard to imagine feeling a sense of loss for artwork until you become immersed in the stories of the Bielarusian fine artists Dr. Zina Gimpelevich has spotlighted in her newest book. She brought to life artists whose work was curtailed under the tyranny of the Russian Empire, the tragedy of the Holocaust, and persistent poverty. Yet these artists' collective resilience and the work they produced-paintings, sculptures, textiles, ceramics, and more-have helped bring beauty and joy to the world, even when depicting the suffering felt by so many. In Bielarusian Fine Art: Time and Time Again, Dr. Gimpelevich celebrates the work of over 150 Bielarusian fine artists (including many from the School of Paris). She estimates more than 3,000 Bielarusian artists are creating today in Bielarus, her birth country. Many remained in their home country. Many became emigres who traveled beyond borders and never returned home. Native sons, such as Mark Sahal (Marc Chagall) and Markus Yakaulevic Rotkovic (Mark Rothko) have left their influence and work the world over and are often claimed by other countries. Other fine artists created in obscurity or self-imposed exile, hiding their work to avoid the grasp of oppressive regimes. Dr. Gimpelevich has ensured their names and work will not be forgotten and will receive the recognition they richly deserve. The harsh truths Dr. Gimpelevich brings to light are tempered with glimmers of hope from recent-generation Bielarusian fine artists. Like their predecessors and mentors, their work shows an unyielding reverence for their country's landscapes, culture, history, and people. Although this book has its lens focused on Bielarusian fine art, Dr. Gimpelevich adeptly provides readers with a deeper understanding of how politics and power struggles have affected this little-known country's citizens, many of which still endure today.

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9781039158788

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Dr. Zina Gimpelevich is a professor emerita at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. She came to Canada in 1979 and earned her Ph.D. in Slavic Studies from Ottawa University In 1987. Prior to appointment at the University of Waterloo in 1990, she worked for the Department of External Affairs and Ottawa University. In addition to her leadership in many professional and non-profit organizations, Dr. Gimpelevich has served as president of the Bielarusian Institute of Arts and Sciences, Canada (2002-2017), president and past president of the Canadian Association of Slavists (2008-2014), and she is an honorary lifetime member of three professional and Canadian community organizations. Dr. Gimpelevich has authored ten books (two of them co-authored). She has written nearly twenty book chapters and over eighty articles; the scholar gave close to ninety presentations at academic conferences, congresses, and communities. In 2019, her book, The Portrayal of Jews in Modern Bielarusian Literature, won the Canadian Association of Slavists and Taylor & Francis Book Prize. Prof. Gimpelevich is very proud of her students and claims she never had a bad one. Gimpelevich enjoys reading, playing piano, and visiting art museums and galleries. She lives in Waterloo, Ontario.

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