Brussels has become the epicenter of a profound cultural study: a photo exhibition dedicated to the disappearing subculture of Soviet ‘thieves in law’ has opened here. The project, titled ‘Surrounded by Criminals’ (Vor V Zakonie), immerses viewers in the secret world of the criminal brotherhood, where tattoos serve not just as decoration, but as living archives preserving the laws of hierarchy and the history of the Gulag.
Tattoos as Chronicle: The Exhibition by Nicolas Viers
From October 9th to November 9th, 2025, an exposition created by the Belgian artist and director Nicolas Viers, founder of the Balkan Trafik organization, is taking place in Brussels. Viers undertook years of research in Moldova and Transnistria to document the lives and bodies of former members of the most influential criminal community, which once acted as a parallel authority in Stalin’s camps.
The project is not just photo documentation, but a multi-layered social, artistic, and ethical study. The exhibition features 140 black-and-white photographs detailing the subjects and the symbols on their bodies. The visual sequence is complemented by 10 video interviews with subtitles, allowing the audience to hear the voices of the ‘thieves,’ as well as 10 painted portraits by the artist Yuri Palkov.
From Symbol to Human: Research in Moldova
Viers’ initial interest was purely semiotic—he sought to decipher the complex system of criminal tattoos. As the author himself recounted, while living in Moldova, he managed to establish trusting relationships with community members in Chisinau and Tiraspol. However, it soon became clear that behind every symbol lay a tragic human story.
“The tattoos told the story of their lives, but gradually the project became something much bigger: it spoke of humanity, morality, and how we view criminals,” explains Viers. Many of his subjects spent up to 30 years in prison and, upon release, faced complete social isolation. They became outcasts, unable to adapt to the outside world, often speaking only prison jargon.
The ‘Surrounded by Criminals’ project urges the viewer to rethink stereotypes about the criminal world. Viers poses a sharp question about social hypocrisy: who are the ‘real’ criminals today? Those who have served their time and live in poverty on the outskirts, or the influential ‘respectable’ figures who evade punishment and create the rules by which society lives?
Expert Analysis: The Language of Tattoos and the Code of Honor
In the context of tattoo culture, thieves’ markings (portaki) represent one of the harshest and most structured systems. Unlike Western tattooing, which embraced punk aesthetics and became mainstream, in the post-Soviet space, these symbols still carry a heavy criminal stigma, and their public display is undesirable.
These tattoos, originating in the Gulag, were not just marks of distinction but part of the ‘law’—an unwritten code that ensured survival and order within the prison hierarchy. They communicated rank, specialization, years served, and even the wearer’s life stance.
The most common and significant symbols documented by Viers:
- Rings on the fingers: The first and basic level of integration into the brotherhood. ‘Juvenile’ rings indicated that the person entered prison at an early age (sometimes at 14–15 years old).
- Stars on or under the shoulders: A symbol of defiance. Initially, stars meant that the thief would never kneel before the communist authorities. This sign was part of a strict code forbidding any work outside the criminal sphere.
- Spider on a web: Indicates the wearer’s activity. If the spider is crawling up—the thief is continuing their activity; if it is descending—they have ‘quit’ crime.
- Church domes/crosses on the back: The number of crosses or domes is directly proportional to the years spent in confinement. The more crosses, the higher the respect within the community.
- ‘Epaulets’ on the shoulders: Denoted status and rank in the prison hierarchy, demonstrating power and authority.
Viers emphasizes that knowledge of this ‘living vocabulary’ was astonishing. His interlocutors, many of whom were highly educated due to the vast amount of time spent reading in prison, could explain the subtlest nuances of every symbol.
Tragedy and Paradox: From ‘Gods’ to Outcasts
Many of the project’s subjects, who once held real power in prison and were considered ‘celestials,’ now find themselves in a cycle of poverty, isolation, and drug addiction. Viers notes that he deliberately chose not the ‘big bosses,’ but rank-and-file members of the brotherhood—robbers, tattoo artists—who now live on the margins of society.
Despite their tragic fate, these individuals are still proud of their tattoos, as they are an integral part of their lives and history. However, realizing the stigmatization, they prefer to hide these marks from public view in a society that has rejected them.
“I can safely call them good people; they don’t live like street criminals. They learned a lot in that system,” says Viers, emphasizing that their world had its own strict rules: a ban on rape, a ban on robbing the elderly, an obligation to help group members. This was a completely different kind of crime, based on a code of honor, albeit a deformed one.
Artistic Choice and Legacy
Nicolas Viers decided to shoot the project in black and white to enhance the drama and force the viewer to focus on the most important things: the face, the eyes, and, of course, the tattoos. According to him, in these ‘social bubbles,’ color does not matter, as the people are ‘at the end of their journey.’ The monochrome palette emphasizes the documentary nature of the shooting and the timeless tragedy of their fates.
Documenting this subculture, in Viers’ opinion, is critically important because it is a part of world history that must be understood, regardless of whether society is proud of it or not. For Europeans unfamiliar with such a criminal hierarchy, this project serves as a bridge to understanding the complex heritage of the post-Soviet space.
The goal of the exhibition is to add ‘nuance’ to society’s Manichaean (black-and-white) perception of good and evil. Viers seeks to show that behind the label ‘criminal’ there is always a deep and complex history, and those who have paid their debt to society through decades of imprisonment deserve at least respect and the right to integration.
Accompanying Events
As part of the ‘Surrounded by Criminals’ project, additional events are planned at six venues in Brussels. In particular, MUE Tattoo Shop & Inksane will host a session on ‘Tattoo Art as a Graphic Language Expanding the Narrative,’ discussing the evolution of tattoos as a means of communication. And during the final days, from November 7th to 9th, thirty additional portraits of the protagonists will be presented.