The Bench (part X), Rubjel’ 2012. Лаўка (частка Х), Рубель 2012 год.
What can seem more prosaic than the plain wooden bench in front of almost every village house in Belarus? And yet the bench is the pivot of social life, the gathering place of generations on a summer’s eve, the village agora, the permanent observation post. The bench is the witness to the changing fortunes of the village and at the same time a testament to Belarusianness beyond time. It is the place where men gather on a holiday to tell fishing tales. It is the place where, after a long day’s work or in the later years of life, homeowners sits to take in the afternoon sun, to let the evening meal simmer, to chat with neighbors, to wait for the cow to come home, to observe the passing traffic, to guide the stranger asking for directions — and, having sized him up in an instant, to give him spirited advice about life.
Rubjel’, a vibrant village in the central Pripet Marshes, is one of my favorite places to chat with people, attend church, and make portraits. Perhaps it’s the Rubelians’ mix of industriousness, and devotion to their faith, a mix which has produced a score of Orthodox priests now serving throughout Belarus. Perhaps it’s their sense of humor, strong family bonds, and attachment to their traditions. Perhaps it’s the soft, endless light of summer or the diffuse, misty light of winter off the river Chakva that draws me. Every visit brings a njerush (неруш), a wondrous and unexpected discovery.
