Liudmila Piatrul

Liudmila Piatrul
Born	(1947-09-15)September 15, 1947 Matveyevtsy, Byelorussian SSR, Soviet Union
Nationality	Belarusian
Citizenship	Soviet Union → Belarus
Education	Belarusian State Academy of Arts
Known for	Tapestry, Graphic arts, Painting
Awards	- Medal "For Labor Merits" - Certificate of Honor from the Council of Ministers "For significant personal contribution to the aesthetic education of the younger generation and the promotion of fine arts" - Badge of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus "For Contribution to the Development of Belarusian Culture" - Laureate of the Trade Union Federation of Belarus Award in Literature and Arts

Liudmila Ivanovna Piatrul (born (1947-09-15)September 15, 1947).^[1] is a Belarusian artist, educator, and poet, and a member of the Belarusian Union of Artists since 1984. She is known for her tapestries, illustrations, and poetry collections, as well as her extensive pedagogical work. She is a laureate of the Trade Union Federation of Belarus Award and a participant in international exhibitions.

Liudmila Piatrul was born on September 15, 1947, in the village of Matveyevtsy, Byelorussian SSR, Soviet Union. After graduating from Izabelinskaya Secondary School in 1966, she enrolled in the Belarusian State Theatre and Art Institute^[2] (now the Belarusian State Academy of Arts) in the Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Textile Arts. She graduated in 1971, studying under M.A. Vetyk, I.K. Vtorushin, and A.V. Baranovsky^[3].

From 1971 to 1973, Piatrul worked as a textile designer at the Baranovichi Cotton Combine.

From 1973 to 1975, she was a designer at the Baranovichi Art Workshop of the Brest Branch of the Belarusian Union of Artists.

From 1976 to 1980, she worked as a designer at the House of Writers of the Belarusian Writers' Union in Minsk.

From 1980 to 1983, she taught at Minsk Children's Art School No. 2.

Since 1983, she has been a teacher at Minsk Children's School of Arts No. 1.

From 1989 to 1996, she served as a senior lecturer at the Belarusian State Academy of Arts in the Department of Textile Arts and Costume Design.

She has been a member of the Belarusian Union of Artists since 1984^[4].

Liudmila Piatrul has created over one hundred tapestries using her unique weaving techniques^[5]. Her works explore themes of history, culture, labor, folk traditions, and the beauty of her homeland. Notable pieces include: "In Memory of My Ancestors" (1977), "Khatyn" (1975), "Apple Tree. 1941" (1985), "Battle Cardiogram" (2006), the triptych "Fate" (1996–1997, collection of the National Centre of Contemporary Arts of the Republic of Belarus), and "Sounds of Memory" (2010–2011).

She also created tapestry series inspired by Belarusian literary classics: "In the Enchanted Realm" (1980, based on Maxim Bahdanovič, collection of the Maxim Bahdanovič Literary Museum in Minsk)^[6], "Sonnet" (1991), "Triolet" (1991), "By the Lake" (2000); and the series "New Fairy Tales to the World" (2002, based on Yanka Kupala's fairy tales, collection of the Yanka Kupala State Literary Museum in Minsk).

Piatrul's tapestries often poeticize the labor of people ("Tale of the Potato", 1983) and the nature of her native land: "Dawn" (1987), "Heather Silence" (1981, collection of the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus), "Strawberry Forest" (1982), "Secrets of the Wilderness" (2006, National Library of Belarus).

In 2015, Piatrul compiled and authored the album "Belarusian Tapestry"^[7], published by "Belarus" on behalf of the Ministry of Information of the Republic of Belarus.

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  From the series “NEW FAIRY TALES IN THE LIGHT” Enchanted Flower 2002. 90x50, author's weaving, cotton, wool, semi-wool, metal thread
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  Dawn 37 1987. 270x80, author's weaving, cotton, wool, semi-wool
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  Harmony 1988. 170x190, author's weaving, cotton, wool, semi-wool.
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  Fate triptych 1996. 130x90 each part, original weaving, linen, half-wool
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  Hymn to Nature 1974 180x220, author's weaving, linen, half-wool
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  Sounds of Memory 2010, 140×200, handwoven, linen, wool blend
• 
  From the series "In the Enchanted Realm" — Water Sprite, 1980, 90×60, handwoven, linen, wool, wool blend, metallic thread, beads
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  From the series "In the Enchanted Realm" — Forest Spirit, 1980, 90×60, linen, wool, wool blend, metallic thread
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  Apple Tree 1941, 1985, 150×150, handwoven, cotton, wool, wool blend
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  Khatyn, 1975, 170×90, handwoven, linen, wool blend
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  Triolet, 1991, 130×80, handwoven, cotton, wool
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  Secrets of the Wilderness, 2006, 190×215, handwoven, cotton, wool, wool blend
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  In Memory of My Ancestors, 1977, 160×165, handwoven, cotton, wool blend
• 
  By the Lake, 2000, 130×65, handwoven, cotton, wool, wool blend, metallic cord, shells
• 
  Summer (fragment), 1980, 190×120, handwoven, cotton, wool, wool blend
• 
  From the series "New Fairy Tales to the World" — Shapeshifter, 2002, 90×50, handwoven, cotton, wool, wool blend
• 
  From the series "New Fairy Tales to the World" — Forest Princess, 2002, 90×50, handwoven, cotton, wool, wool blend, lurex

Liudmila Piatrul has created graphic illustrations for works by renowned writers. These include a series of graphic sheets for Yakub Kolas's *Fairy Tales of Life* (2002, collection of the Yakub Kolas State Literary-Memorial Museum in Minsk)^[8], as well as illustrations for works by Alexander Pushkin, Marina Tsvetaeva, Joseph Brodsky, and others.

She also produced the graphic series "Man in the City" (1997), along with series such as "Anatomy of a Maple Leaf," "Abandoned Windows," "Movement — Life," "Tangled Thread" (1996), and individual works including "Solitary Spawning," "Ephemerides," and "White Cuckoo" (1996).

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  "Self-Portrait in Winter", 1995, 60×60, paper, watercolor
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  "Allegory of Spring", 1972, 30×21, paper, oil, monotype
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  "White Cuckoo", 1996, 40×60, paper, gouache, monotype
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  "Together", 1996, 40×60, paper, gouache, monotype
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  "Moon Apples", 1971, 27×19, paper, ink, whitewash, gouache
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  "Cranberry Juice", 1996, 40×60, paper, gouache
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  "Solitary Spawning", 1996, 60×40, paper, gouache, monotype
• 
  "Theater", 1971, 31×22, paper, ink, whitewash, gouache
• 
  From the series "Man in the City" — Lovers, 1997, 76×52, paper and foam wallpapers, gouache, marker
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  From the series "Man in the City" — Winter Walk, 1997, 81×62, paper and foam wallpapers, gouache, markers
• 
  From the series "Man in the City" — Lilac Mist, 1997, 75×60, paper and foam wallpapers, gouache, markers

Liudmila Piatrul began publishing poetry in 1970 in the newspaper *Chyrvonaya Zmena*. Her poems have appeared in magazines such as *Belarus*, *Polymya*, *Maladosts*, *Rabotsnitsa i Syalyanka*, the weekly *LiM* (*Literature and Art*), and the annuals *Dalyahlyady* and *Bratyerstva*. She has also translated poetry from Lithuanian and Polish.

Her first poetry collection, *Lya Vesnichak*, was published in the anthology *Stsyazhyna* (Minsk, *Mastatskaya Litaratura*, 1983). A standalone book, *Liudmila Piatrul. Poems*, was published in 2018 (Minsk, *Belprint*)^[9]

From 1989 to 1996, Liudmila Piatrul was a senior lecturer at the Belarusian State Academy of Arts, developing curricula (1991–1995) for core subjects in the Department of Textile Arts and Costume Design. From 1996 to 2002, she headed the Art Department at Minsk Children's School of Arts No. 1.

Her students have graduated from the Belarusian State Academy of Arts, Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts, Belarusian State University, as well as architectural, construction, and art colleges, and vocational schools in Bobruisk and Mir. Many work as artists, designers, architects, and educators across Belarus. Her students have won awards at city, district, national, and international children's art competitions, including in Russia, Taiwan, Lithuania, and Greece.

For her pedagogical contributions, Piatrul has received certificates, commendations, diplomas, and awards from the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus (1984, 1998, 2004), the Minsk City Executive Committee Culture Department (1984, 1996, 2003, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2021), the Administration of Moskovsky District, Minsk, and international competitions such as *Nevskaya Palitra* in Saint Petersburg (2007, 2010) and *Krasnolesye* in Novosibirsk (2024).

Liudmila Piatrul has held 15 solo exhibitions. Her works have been displayed at institutions including:

• National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus;
• Maxim Bahdanovič Literary Museum;
• Yanka Kupala State Literary Museum;
• Yakub Kolas State Literary-Memorial Museum;
• Art Gallery of the Polotsk Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve;
• Republican Art Gallery of the Belarusian Union of Artists.

She has participated in international, national, and city art exhibitions and competitions, including:

• All-Union Creative Group for Contemporary Textile Arts at the Korovin House of Creativity in Gurzuf (1987);
• Belarusian Decorative and Applied Arts Triennale (1st — 2009, 2nd — 2013, 3rd — 2016, 4th — 2019, 5th — 2021);
• International projects:
  • "II International Festival of Textile Arts", Kraków, Poland, Palace of Fine Arts (2007);
  • "I Triennale of Contemporary Tapestry 'Square Meter — Own Space'", Moscow, Russia, Tsaritsyno Exhibition Complex (2011);
  • "XIV International Tapestry Triennale", Łódź, Poland, Museum of Textile History (2013);
  • "XIX Asian International Art Biennale", Dhaka, Bangladesh, Bangladesh National Gallery (2022)^[10].

She organized the "I Republican Textile Art Plein Air" in Minsk (2011) and participated in an International Textile Art Plein Air in Slovakia (2015).

• 2001 — Certificate of Honor from the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus "For significant personal contribution to the aesthetic education of the younger generation and the promotion of fine arts"^[11];
• 2001 — Laureate of the Trade Union Federation of Belarus Award in Literature and Arts;
• 2009 — Laureate of the 1st Belarusian Decorative and Applied Arts Triennale (1st place in the "Textile" category);
• 2012 — Badge of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus "For Contribution to the Development of Belarusian Culture";
• 2017 — Certificate of Honor from the Belarusian Union of Artists;
• 2023 — Medal "For Labor Merits".