Press Articles
(There are the media articles in the English language.
The publications in Belarusian and in Russian are presented in the Belarusian and in the Russian versions of the web site respectively.)
River of time
Konstantin Kachan’s creativity is surprised with remarkable insight into the ethnic nature of the BELARUSIAN LAND – its unique coloristics, unhurried rhythm of villages and age-old towns, where as if the RIVER OF TIME froze in its flow, having preserved rapidly disappearing features of the past for us. It’s not just the signs and flavor of antiquity. Objects, marked by the painter’s, belong to the archetypes of everyday life of a Belarusian, which unite his mind with eternal truths and priorities of own ethnic culture as well as life in the universe. Among the former is the cult of villager’s life or a town that bases on honoring of age-old work on the earth, sung in the ancient Belarusian engravings – the harvest, sheep shearing, harvesting of potatoes, and others… The other is the contemplation of life events and phenomena which occur in nature. Therefore, trees, huts, castles, churches, and even hedges appear spirited in the works, like people who can be happy and sad, empathize and ill, be proud and cry. Painter Konstantin Kachan, who managed to find his own artistic credo, which has no analogues in the art of our country, painted all these images which are sensible, unique in its poignancy and its distinctive penetration and understanding of Belarusian land. The core of his imagery are, on the one hand, the temples, the other one – ordinary Belarusian homes, huts and lodges, images of which, as if were woven into a complex multifilament structure of life with simple “ornament”, that depends on forms and rhythms of the whole “canvas”. 
It is dominated by the voice of nature, its Belarusian shades, features, sounds, shapes and … unique beauty. It is unique in its restraint and reality, naturalness, and this is a spiritual significance.
Gallery near Zamkovaya Mountain
By Irina Svirko
The Minsk Times, 18 September 2014
This beautiful building in the very heart of Novogrudok near Zamkovaya Mountain is very noticeable, and it is like a real lord’s estate. The well-known Belarusian artist Kastus Kachan, its owner, dreamt about it for a long time. In native places (he is a native of Lavrishevo village), in such a premise, has wanted to open a picture gallery for a long time. Therefore he bought, with his own means, the house, which was under the threat of collapse in the city centre, and in 2008, he started in its construction.
The first private art gallery — Estate of artist Kastus Kachan
The special project of the estate, in the style inherent in historical Novogrudok, was made by the well-known Belarusian architect, Leonty Zdanevich.
One month ago the desire at last came true — one of the first private art galleries — the Estate of Artist Konstantin Kachan — opened its doors to visitors.
The gallery has two spacious halls with about 70 works of the recognised master of landscape and still-life. Trees, flowers, peasant houses, castles and churches, reapers in the field, a mill… The picture Winter Evening takes a separate place in the exposition. The artist calls it meaningful; in 1980, it became the starting point for his serious, creative activity. When it was shown for the first time, it was a big success, after which the young artist was noticed, and his works started to be included in Republican, all-Union and foreign exhibitions.
Interesting detail: according to first education, Kastus Kachan is a physicist who graduated from the BSU. He said that he forced himself to do that, as by his second year in the physical department, he understood that it was not the door which he would chose in due time. But he did not feel that painting, of which he was fond since childhood, should become his work for whole life. But that error was corrected, and for several years the graduate physicist and free listener of Belarusian State Academy of Arts studied painting.
Today, Konstantin Kachan’s works are in many museums of the country, in the art fund of the Ministry of Culture of Russia, funds of the Belarusian Union of Artists, in the Tretyakov Gallery, in private collections of Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Austria, France, Italy, the USA, Turkey, South Korea, China, Vietnam… People willingly buy his pictures and it was this monetary source that financed the construction of the gallery.
“At first there was not enough money, it was only possible to buy one old building. But I had a certain confidence that money would appear. And God helped. Probably, it happens so, when a person has a noble purpose and idea which is for general advantage. Just during this period, my pictures started to sell well,” Konstantin Ivanovich recollects.
Many critics call him a singer of Belarusian places. He does not argue and fairly admits that he is actually attracted by the unpretentious beauty of landscapes of small western towns and villages among which Novogrudok, with its mysterious power of antiquity and force, has a special place. According to the artist, he is always attracted here like a magnet; and he works here especially fruitfully.
His art studio and living space are located on the top floor of the gallery. So, in the winter, at least, Konstantin will be able to forget about talkative Minsk, his personal capital workshop, and to move to Novogrudok; all the more so that he already has a new creative idea which is worthy of fruitful embodiment — to start painting portraits. He considers that the exposition needs them near landscapes.
Together with the artist, his wife, Zhanna Borisovna, changed Minsk — today’s capital, into Novogrudok — the old capital. She works hard together with him in the gallery, hospitably receives visitors and arranges tours.
She also collects local ancient gentry tableware. The collection already has a dozen of interesting pieces, and she intends to allocate a separate corner in one of halls for them.
The pair also has far-reaching plans — to unite the estate with one more building. It is equally historical, is also bought and is located nearby. There, the artist believes, could be located removable exhibitions and children could master painting. A patron from Novogrudok has appeared who is ready to support this idea financially. In a word, the estate will be extended and become a gallery complex.
“You know, I am very happy that I finally managed to achieve what I have dreamt about for a long time. I feel happy. I am proud that now, in my favourite Novogrudok, as there should be in the notable ancient cultural-historical centre of the country, there is an art gallery — a centre of art life. For this purpose, believe me, I do not feel sorry for neither forces, nor time, nor money,” Kastus Kachan emotionally said. He is a person of generous nature and a sincere patriot of his land.
Tatsiana Haranksaya
Belarusian artist Kastus Kachan
Russian – American Business
During the month of November 2007, The Ronald Reagan Building Trade Center hosted an exhibition of the works of the renowned Belarusian artist Kastus Kachan. The Belarusian Embassy and the organization Global Arts Network conducted the exhibit.
Kastus Kachan is, first and foremost, an artist who celebrates the beauty of his small homeland. He was born in 1950, in the hamlet of Lavirshevo in the Grodnenskaya oblast. In 1975, Kachan graduated from Belarus State University. His work has been displayed at art exhibitions since 1980. His paintings are primarily landscape scenes. His work is on display in the National Art Museum of Belarus, the Fund BSH, the Russian Ministry of Culture, The Museum of Contemporary Graphic Art in Minsk, The Belarusian Museum of National Architecture, many Russian museums, and private collections in various countries.
Dazzled by the beauty of the Navagrudak district, Kastus Kachan through his artistic talent has given the Belarusian audience, indeed the world, a collection of paintings that evoke the viewer’s response. In recent years, Kachan has experimented with a variety of techniques and methods, which have served to create his distinct artistic style. His work displays great freedom in presenting the real world. His vision has been aided immensely by his frequent visits to neighboring European countries. Often his travels involve presenting his work or participating in international open-air exhibitions. Kachan also regularly visits other artists who work in various styles and mediums. This vast experience has given Kachan a firm foundation for piercing through the challenges that have always intrigued him.
The image of his native land is Kachan’s inspiration. His canvases feature wide, open spaces that are not cluttered. He does, however, achieve wonderful texture in his works through oil paints. This glorious mix of space and texture display the depth of the artist’s emotion. It also provides the unmistakable mark of an exceptional artist.
Understanding nature has allowed Kachan to create in this series of endless landscapes a harmonious panorama, which manifests a spiritual link between man and nature. It is the human being in Kachan’s paintings that produces a pivotal moment for the viewer. At first glance, his figures seem somewhat sketchy and artistically unfinished, but their presence frequently evokes the feeling that this wonderful unity between man and nature may be lost in the process of urbanization.
Nevertheless, it is obvious that Kachan’s muse is nature. He is clearly fascinated, even enchanted, by the beauty of the changing seasons, an event so conspicuous in Belarus due to its geographic location. There are snowy fields in winter; then the land is covered with water during the spring floods. Next, the golden color of ripe grains in the summer yields to nature’s climax with the majestic hues of autumn.
Kachan is in his prime artistically. His paintings exhibit maturity together with innovation. His is eagerly anticipating and actively searching for new discoveries and inspiration that other artists and art lovers have yet to experience.
Kachan’s work will be on display at the Belarusian Embassy in Washington until June 2008.