Marc Chagall's paintings in Belarus restored by a welder - Belsat

Lukashenka's "Zaslauye" residence contains several paintings by Marc Chagall that are unknown even to Belarusian art historians. The Belsat TV channel found this out with the help of Cyberpartisans, who provided recordings of conversations of Dipservice employees.

Dipservice is a state enterprise that organizes official receptions and serves the diplomatic corps. In 2021, its employees allegedly organized the restoration of Chagall's works.

There are several paintings by Chagall in the collection of Belgazprombank in Belarus. The very first drawings of the artist are kept in the museum in Vitsebsk, while more than three hundred graphic works - in the Art Center of Marc Chagall.

June 14, 2021, the first deputy head of Dipservice, former KGB counterintelligence officer Maksim Yudzin calls his colleague Uladzimir Klimau, former Consul General of Belarus in Daugavpils. He asks where the restored Chagall paintings are. Having learned that they are in Zaslauye, he wonders if it is possible to see the degree of their readiness.

"Yes, but it is not very high, because the man who is doing them is also sent to a welding course on the 16th. So he only comes in the afternoon and does a little bit of painting, a little bit of his work. That's why I told you today to extend the deadline a little, if possible," Klimau replied.

Further conversations between Yudzin and others revealed that Dipservice was given 14 days to restore Chagall's works. Aliaksandr Ratkevich, who had previously worked as a painter and plasterer, asked for an additional two weeks.

We are talking about the application of primer and paint in several layers. In an anonymous comment for Belsat, the Belarusian art historian says that a month is not enough for such work: "Unless it's a very serious but ongoing restoration, I'd say three or four months are needed - just for the application and drying of the pro-glaze, which then stands in the most controlled climatic conditions."

On June 15, 2021, Yudzin was on the phone with his wife discussing the restoration of Chagall's paintings. Tamara Yudzina worked as a warehouse supervisor for the military unit 2007.

M: The motherf**ker decided to f**k with me: how many paintings have been restored? He's a f**king asshole! What the f**k do you need these paintings for? Is it Rembrandt or Van Gogh or what?
T: Why do you have to fix them?
M: They were in the basement on Frunze because they're f**king useless! [This is the street where the Dipservice Hall is located.]
T: And until then they'll be lying around, or you'll give them to someone, money... (unintelligible).
M: You realize... Is that artistic value? It's bullsh*t, the left hand of somebody who's f**king there.

Next, Yudzin worries that the unweeded pumpkins are more important than the paintings.

So far, it's hard to tell if these are really original works by Chagall or just reproductions.