“I first heard about Źdanau from Chadzejeu in 1981. I had just got to Kim and listened to him with admiration reverently asking stupid questions: “Kim, you must be a cynic?” – “No, I’m rather an epicure”, he replied. “Kim, and is there a person in Minsk, equal to you in intelligence?” – “Yes, it is Źdanau. He writes poems, but actually he is a philosopher”. Then he pointed with his hooked finger out the window. “Look there, do you see the lights are on in the apartment on the ground floor? He lives there. But he’s a monster. I wouldn’t advise you to do anything with him”. In the inky darkness of February night, behind the naval trunks of the old Stalinist yard, the “monster’s” lantern was poisonously flickering”.

Dzmitry Strocau “IODINE” \ Alaksiej Źdanau