Фота: Анатоль Кляшчук. Крыніца: znyata.com.
One of those who captured the face of the Chernobyl tragedy forty years ago was Belarusian photographer Anatol Klyashchuk. In the 1980s, a well-known photojournalist, deeply affected by what had happened, came to the conclusion that he should work in hospitals and oncology centres — places that were very difficult to access. He began photographing children who had fallen ill because of the disaster — for a long time they were not recognised as Chernobyl victims. Official recognition came only 15 years after the catastrophe, the photographer said.
But Anatol Klyashchuk spent seven years visiting hospital corridors and wards to preserve the loneliness and pain of the children.
As a result of his work and with the support of a German foundation, the photo album “Chernobyl 1986–2006. Living With The Tragedy” was published in 2006. These photographs were long barred from museums; only after 20 years was Anatol able to hold a solo exhibition at the National Art Museum titled “Pain Subsides Slowly”.
We recall the outstanding photographer’s memories of Chernobyl, in which he speaks about both his impressions of the tragedy and how his series came into being. The renowned master, who died of cancer in 2023, shared them in the well-known Znyata project “Meetings With Legends”.
– At that moment I myself was in the Homiel Region, in the Vetka District. The director of the famous Vetka Museum, Fyodar Shklyarau, said he was planning to go to a village to record the ritual “So That The Hay Would Grow Well”. I also planned to go. And then — Chernobyl. It was such darkness! The catastrophe happened, and the authorities said nothing until May 4…
I photographed that ritual. An interesting, pagan one… From there I moved to Chechersk. There were already many buses — children were being evacuated from the zone. How I myself got to Homiel and then to Minsk I now remember only vaguely.
It felt like a war was going on.
Then I went to the zone at the end of July. Khoiniki, Bragin… Then to places where houses were being built for resettlers. The harvest was underway, to show that life goes on. I did not get to the places where evacuation was taking place. There was also a lot of fear. Only later did I begin to travel there periodically.
– Chernobyl is a topic that will live for a long time. Those who remained in the zone — it is their choice! They simply stayed there to live. And turning them into some kind of prisoners is not my approach.
But what was happening in hospitals was talked about little. It was very difficult to come to a hospital and take photographs. I decided that I would go to the zone, see what was happening there. It was especially interesting on Radunitsa… There was more than enough material there! But the main problem of Chernobyl is in hospitals.
I like it when social issues come to the forefront in journalistic photography. I felt that I needed to photograph those people who had truly suffered from the catastrophe. Those who had fallen ill. Children who for a very long time were not recognised as Chernobyl victims. Only on the 15th anniversary were they recognised. That is how I began to photograph this.
For about seven years I walked through hospitals. I felt that something was working.
Chernobyl with broken windows and destroyed houses is yesterday’s Chernobyl. That is no longer the problem. The problem is how to live дальше. How to survive?
– That was even the very first desire. To help! But people did not want to see tears and blood in photographs.
I tried to avoid obvious suffering on children’s faces.
Nevertheless, my works were in demand.
It seemed that if people saw these photographs, they would respond emotionally, that the photographs in catalogues would help raise funds and support the sick. I felt the importance of my work and it inspired me… The German foundation “Help For Chernobyl Children”, which helped publish the photo album “Chernobyl 1986–2006. Living With The Tragedy” with my photographs, provides enormous assistance to Belarus! Equipment, medicines…
The album is distributed free of charge. And even in Germany it is difficult to raise money for a book.
And here, such photography was not allowed into museums for a long time. Only in 2006, on the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, was it possible to hold a solo exhibition at the National Art Museum.
– I cannot photograph the continuation of children’s suffering without reflection. I will travel to the zone, observe. But what should be shown?
At first I had protest, a cry. I wanted people to know, to see. For people to think about health, about future generations. I felt that this was my element. And it was not pathos. I was interested in Chernobyl destinies. People knew that I was not photographing only for a newspaper.
Now to walk those same corridors… I do not know.
It would be interesting to find those who are still alive, whom I photographed 10, 15 and 20 years ago.
Perhaps I will still continue the theme. I will photograph those whom I once photographed as children.
But one must find a form so that it is interesting and sharp. This cannot be photographed just like that.
You cannot simply photograph disabled people, the homeless, or other social topics. You have to say something, convey something, reveal something. And to be heard, you need to find a language that is understandable, how to say it.
And so that it does not look speculative. I was told all sorts of things, like that I made a career out of it… But all my life I wanted to photograph ordinary people. People in trouble.
Anatol Klyashchuk was a prominent Belarusian photographer of the 1980s–2000s. He worked for “Selskaya Gazeta”, “Respublika”, and the newspaper “Zvyazda”. He was the author of canonical photographs and series on the Chernobyl disaster, Belarusian Righteous Among the Nations, workers, village life, Belarusian rituals. He died in 2023.
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