My French Roots
I didn’t move to France by chance. I have always felt drawn to this country, as if an invisible force was guiding me back to my origins. This is not just a country I emigrated to—it is a place where my family’s roots run deep, even if centuries have passed.
The French surname Brel has been passed down through my mother’s side, but it is not my only connection to France. On my father’s side, my grandmother and great-grandfather also carried the Brel name. In our family, there has always been a legend about its origins. According to this version, in the 17th century, a group of French people with this surname left their homeland during a time of crisis in France and set off in search of a better life in Belarus. They settled in the Gomel region, including the village of Vasilevichi and the surrounding settlements, where they took up farming—the very place where my parents were born.
Interestingly, this surname became widely recognized in France thanks to Jacques Brel, the legendary chansonnier who, although born in Belgium, became a true symbol of French musical culture. Of course, there is no confirmed family connection between us, but the presence of this name in French history creates yet another unexpected bridge between my past and present.
From an early age, I felt an attraction to France. I started learning French as a child, dreaming that one day I would find myself in the land where my ancestors once lived. Now, centuries later, I feel as if I have closed the circle.
That is why I can confidently call myself a Belarusian artist with French roots. My art is also a journey through time and space, connecting past and present, Belarus and France.
