DESCENT INTO THE MARSH by Lesia Pcholka

The book Descent into the Marsh uses photographs from Belarus and Hong Kong to explore protests, shared symbols, horizontal tactics, digital surveillance and repression.

Published in late 2024,just before Belarus's 2025 elections, the book draws attention to ongoing repression, which has left thousands of political prisoners and forced a million to flee. The author links protests in Belarus and Hong Kong as examples of modern resistance shaped by digital control and China's influence.

Seven illustrated chapters explore shared tactics and symbols gestures of unity, symbolic colours, and objects like umbrellas Grassroots creativity is evident in Hong Kong's Lennon Walls and Belarusian courtyards. The leaderless, decentratised nature of both movements demonstrates their adaptability. The book examines how China and Belarus share repressive practices, including surveillance technologies with traditional intimidation. While neither movement achieved immediate political goals, both left a significant mark on culture and society.

"Descent into the Marsh" is a visual document of protest that highlights the universal human quest for freedom and dignity. The book functions as an open archive, regularly updated with new media articles and reflections on ongoing struggles, providing a lasting record of unfinished events that remain unblocked and uncensored online.

The book was shortlisted Henri Cartier-Bresson Seld-Published PhotoBook Award.