«Andrei Makayonok: The Man and the Master of Subtext»

November 12, 2025, marks the 105th anniversary of the birth of Andrei Yegorovich Makayonok (1920–1982), a People’s Writer of Belarus. He is one of the most unusual Belarusian Soviet writers of the second half of the 20th century. Makayonok edited and published the magazines «Vozhyk» and «Nyoman», participated as a public figure in the Belarusian delegation to the UN, and served as a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the BSSR. However, his creative work remained the primary focus of his life. As a playwright, he was known more to audiences than to readers. His satirical plays, full of folk humor, were performed in theaters, on radio, and television, and were filmed. He was able to combine seemingly incompatible themes—comedy and drama, themes of love and the struggle against bureaucracy. His protagonists are simple, yet profoundly profound people. The plays «Lyavonikha in Orbit», «The Tribunal», «The Haunted Apostle», and «A Pill Under the Tongue» were known far beyond the borders of Belarus.

To mark the 105th anniversary of the playwright’s birth, the Belarusian State Archives and Museum of Literature and Art has prepared a virtual exhibition, «Andrei Makayonok: Man and Master of Subtext», featuring documents from the writer’s collection, including rare photographs reflecting his creative path and his friendships and working relationships with other writers, theater professionals, and audiences. The exhibition’s epigraph is A.Ya. Makayonok’s own words: «Breathe today. Breathe every day. What you don’t breathe today, you won’t get back tomorrow».

You can explore the virtual exhibition, «Andrei Makayonok: Man and Master of Subtext», by following this link.

Portrait photograph of Andrei Makayonok, 1970.