“All the money went to materials and taxes.” The author of unforgettable sculptures in Bykhov, Kastsyukovichy, and Haradziets responded to critics.
The sculpture "To a Woman-Mother," installed in Bykhov city park, is actively discussed online – comments are mostly critical and sarcastic. The author of the composition, Mogilev sculptor Alexander Minkov, responded to critics.
Sculptor Alexander Minkov in his workshop while working on projects for 2026. Photo: Andrey Sazonov / sb.by
Under a user's post, who ironically commented on the modern sculpture in Bykhov, one commenter suggested that the monument could have been sculpted overnight, and the face turned out unsuccessful because the plaster hadn't had time to dry. Minkov replied briefly: "It's granite."
Another user inquired how much budget money was paid for this work. The sculptor stated that he received nothing. In comments on other platforms, he also noted that in Bykhov, only the stone and taxes were paid for, and he himself, he claimed, worked with granite for a month for free.
“Thank you all for the comments, for caring. Take a sledgehammer and a chisel, and in a month, turn seven tons of granite into two tons. Let’s see what you come up with, and all this not for money. I made a gift to the city, and they're pouring criticism on me. All the money went to materials and taxes,” the sculptor wrote.
Local authorities, who ceremoniously unveiled the monument, later admitted that they had "major concerns" about it and promised to fix the deficiencies by the end of the week.
New monument "To a Woman-Mother" in Bykhov. Photo: bykhov.by
In addition to the Bykhov monument, Alexander Minkov is also the author of monuments of questionable artistic quality in Kastsyukovichy and Lukashenka's Haradziets in the Shklov district.