CHAPTER ONE:

Where does that voice come from – is it from your cheek, or from my palm?

What is Google etnography? How to preserve and adapt the old techniques of our ancestors? Why objects from the Soviet period are also worth protecting? How potato and the concept of potential are related? Questions can not only open up the new prospects, but also to influence the change.

Artists Lísbet Harðar Ólafardóttir, Gunnar Jónsson, Aurelija Maknytė, Jurgita Žvinklytė, Jurgita Jakubauskaitė, Žilvinas Danys, who participated in the first stage, have interpreted ethnographic and ethnological themes, by using tools of contemporary art and design. The results of their researches and performance are being presented in the exhibition “Where does that voice come from – is it from your cheek, or from my palm?”

The title of the exhibition is borrowed from Lithuanian folk tale Slaughterer – the Priest1. It refers to the slap, more precisely, to the voice of the slap / its sound, the source of which is both the palm and the cheek. The face is slapped out of anger, as well as in order to revive, to wake someone up. In the context of this exhibition, the slap or its sound represents a contact of fields, times, strategies and worldviews, that reached the artists’ horizon. Therefore, following this proposed logic, an art work is a slap, angry or evocative slap.

Jurgita Žvinklytė,

Google ethnography. Pseudo is/lta nation. 2015.

Jurgita Žvinklytė is  the representative of visual arts field. Performativity is typical to her works  as well as influences of contemporary dance, choreography, ancient cultures, myths, psychogeography and Internet culture.

In a work created during curated residency program QUESTIONING ARTS  the artist refers to the concepts mentioned in James Clifford’s book „The Predicament of Culture“ : changes of a place, ethnographic surrealism / surrealistic ethnography. They have influenced the artist to search for her own ethnographic/creative way, which Jurgita calls Google Ethnography. Pseudo is/lta nation .

„Two cultures combine squeezing each other in a stunning, ambiguous embrace, it seems only then, when each of them can significantly overpower one another.” During the visits the artist has explored how Lithuania and Iceland are represented in the Google search system. Based on the results of the research, stratifying and combining the information about Lithuania and Iceland, a pseudo culture with its own map, statistics and ethnography was designed. Thus deliberately  roughly and artificially laminating Lithuanian and Icelandic national attributes (flag, anthem, portrait of a man and a woman, pop music, etc.) and opening a very important critical and anthropological discourse of nations friendship and identity in the Internet (and not only) space.

Google search engine is a tool, that has become our everyday life and in a way – a tool of communication. The artist assumes that some Google language principles are already beginning to appear, there are existing terms that can be understood only by knowing what Google is.

Aurelija Maknytė,

Archive cinema. „Tiesa“. 2015.

Timeline. Archives of Soviet texts and images. 2015

Aurelija Maknytė is actively involved in contemporary art exhibitions and projects in Lithuania and other countries. The most common objects of artist's works and research are archive, memory and coincidence. She does not have one genre or creative tool, she just works with the idea. And ideas, which have led to creative act, as the artist says, are different. Therefore, they take on different body/ shape, require different creative tools and materials, even a different pace of work and, of course, a different viewer.

In an exhibition Aurelija presented two projects: Archive cinema. „Tiesa“and Timeline. Archives of Soviet texts and images. The works are complex and time elongated, where different elements communicate with each other: participants of Soviet documentary film chronicles from Utena, texts from periodicals and various dispersion techniques of collected material.

In a work  Archive cinema. „Tiesa“ videos, that are related to the Soviet past of Utena and kept Central State archive are displayed on the map, that Aurelija discovered in Leliūnai Basic School during the workshops.  The map (released in 1964) , which is used as a screen, shows communication network of the Soviet Union. This item was glued and strengthened, using Russian newspapers and  Lithuanian „Tiesa“ (from the year 1966). Lines of these newspapers interweave into the clips from the news of the same decade.

Timeline. Archives of Soviet texts and images (Website: www.timeline.lt)  is created while observing what is happening with the Soviet legacy, which became a history, one can make a conclusion that this period is usually just ignored, disliked or condemned. It’s not hard to understand such behavior. I grew up and matured during the Soviet period, I understand the pain of that time, but more often  I’m concerned when I look at  the material testimony-periodicals, books, photographs, movies and other material, related to that period – and watch it being disposed. For many, disposal of such items equals purification, which is prioritized to the level of spiritual purification. This is why this website, where various texts and images, found in  periodicals, are published, was founded.

Within the framework of the project QUESTIONING ARTS,  in both works Aurelija tries to present the Soviet legacy as a heritage worthy of attention, which can become a really valuable material disclosing certain layers of history. This is an opportunity to look at the same historical facts or phenomena in the eyes of various witnesses, to comprehend propaganda and information dissemination mechanisms of the era.

Jurgita Jakubauskaitė,

Brass Garden. 2015.

In 2007 m. Jurgita Jakubauskaitė graduated  Architecture studies and  in the same year she founded a design studio Absurd ideas. It later transformed into the first Lithuania design workshop, where design objects are created from recycled materials. For three years Jurgita is interested in cultural heritage  and tries to “remind” elders wisdom and skills to the modern man. In her opinion, life in technological world mercilessly rubs what was created in the past, so it is important for the designer to understand the old techniques, adapt it to the modern human environment and to preserve them.

During these visits Jurgita is learning the refinements of weaving the straw gardens. Straw gardens – works made of straw that have volumetric, strictly geometrical form. In the context of Lithuanian folk art, it is a sacred place, cultural nature, and a model of the Universe. These gardens were mostly hung in the cleanest room, above the table. It is a decorative object with no actual function. In order to actualize the straw gardens, Jurgita designs chandeliers made of a strong material, turning them into functional monuments.

Materiality and a kind of game with the materials, change of their primary use, thus giving a whole new and unexpected meaning, takes an important place in Jurgita's work. Brass pipes, used in the industry, are chosen instead of brittle straw and  becomes not only a functional interior element, but also a kind of monument to the straw garden tradition.

Lísbet Harðar Ólafardóttir,

Potatonation. 2015.

Lísbet Harðar Ólafardóttir is a writer and painter, who uses professional skills that she's acquired during her studies in order to create installations, paintings and texts.  As the artist herself says her works are there, where people do not expect to see it. In her works Lisbet tries to comprehend how it can function in different conditions.

During these visits the artist wanted to raise a challenge for a stereotype of a non-creative mother. Therefore, she came to this visiting program together with her four children. The main themes that are being tangled in Lisbet work are connected with a presents of Lithuanian nation. The artist has tried to comprehend it through a critical attitude, which has formed while living in Lithuania for one month, trying to comprehend our daily routines, a culture of communication.

In the series of banners and texts, with a soft irony Lisbet portrays a cucumber that pretends to be a potato. It is a symbol of a nation, living in an eternal potential, but not always understanding these values that it is trying to follow. A cucumber, which the artist has ripen for a few weeks until it looked like a potato, in her mind became a certain symbol of a nation, living in an eternal potential, but not always understanding these values that it is trying to follow. Values, introduced by the European Union, are often at odds or fails to consolidate, so the culture of pretending (artificial formal courtesy and understanding) is an integral part of our society.

Žilvinas Danys,

Mildos – Medeinos feast. 2015.

One of the most important aspects of Žilvinas creative activities is cooperation with artists of different fields. During the visit the artist aimed to know the environment of this place (Leliūnai, Utena and its surroundings), as well as to leave a mark of his activities there. Žilvinas thinks that an interpretation of ethno-culture is a delicate work. The ethnical culture specialists and scientists, who are involved in the creative process, are very helpful to the artist.

One of the „Artistic calendar celebrations cycle” projects of Žilvinas Danys was implemented in Leliūnai district, 5^th – 13^th May, 2015: according to the calendar period, the “Milda-Medeina” celebration was created. To this ongoing cultural action in Leliūnai both rural and urban people are invited with a purpose of cooperation and creation of the feast together. An environment of artistic objects, with Lithuanian and Latvian festive traditions, Baltic ritual actions, songs and contractuals was established on 13^th May, on the Narkūnai mounds.

Milda is a fictional Baltic Goddess of Love, which was first mentioned by the Lithuanian historian, folklore and culture researcher Teodoras Narbutas.The existence of Goddess of Love in the ancient Lithuanian faith is not confirmed, because no sources have remained. So all the stories about her are only speculations. On the other hand, such speculations/interpretations exist, that  Milda and Medeina (Goddess of Forest and Hunt) was one and the same deity. When organizing imaginary Milda-Medeinos feast Žilvinas speaks of speculation and reconstruction of imaginability, thus rethinking not only the nature of phenomena of the holiday, but also of the imagination.

Gunnar Jónsson,

Discussion under cold water. 2015.

Gunnar Jónsson is the creator of visual arts. His works  are installations, reflecting and based on nature’s visuality. Gunnar is interested in friction, that occurs between the man and the nature, for him it is interesting to see how nature responds to us, and we respond to the nature.

Gunnar’s video installation combines the movement of the sun from the east to the west and the existence, memory trauma of the people who live in this region. A consideration of a man’s and nature’s relationship takes a very important place in the artist’s works, however during this visiting a historical memory theme appeared in the field of Gunnar creations. The artist is considering how the recent Soviet past has affected the consciousness and the trajectory of the movement from the east to the west.

Video installation juxtaposes two things: a calm and silent walking from the east to the west and staged conversation about recent history and a specific place, which  perpetuates the hardships of those days (a building, in which during the Soviet times people were interrogated and sent to exile) . The artist invited four conversation participants, who he has met while visiting Leliūnai or Utena. In his mind, these people have embodied certain characters who have different features. They were discussing about the past and the present in the place, where a good half of a century ago a discussion was an incomprehensible thing. Symbolic is the sunlit movement from east to west  as well as discussion in a place, which symbolizes the still distressing Post-Soviet trauma, talks about the present of Lithuanian nation, stuck somewhere between optimism and injury.

CHAPTER TWO:

When you left me I couldn't stop crying from laughter

When you left me i couldn't stop crying from laughter is a one-day  exhibition-stroll, during which viewers were invited to explore the exhibition with the artists while walking around Utena.

This is the final exhibition of  the second stage of curated residencies QUESTIONING ARTS . Artists from different fields, involved in this stage of  the project, explored public spaces of Utena region, whilst raising important issues, giving a new atmosphere, life scenarios and values to these spaces.

The exhibition discusses the publicity and public spaces,  so no coincidence that the exhibition title is borrowed from an unknown street writer, who wrote these words on the street lamp located near Dauniškis lake. Notes-messages, written on the surfaces of the city, are witnesses of the invisible life. They are not only damaging, for example, a new bench, but also reflecting certain expectations of those „writers” and and the search for self-expression, a desire to be seen and heard. A bit rough, ironic, adolescent, stylistically and syntactically incorrect statement-joke, which appears in the title of exhibition, marks a playful, self-critical and somewhat ironic atmosphere of  the exhibition and desire to grow into the city, to identify with it .

CREATORS AND WORKS:

Solveig Edda Vilhjalmsdottir,

Impact/No impact. 2015.

Solveig Edda Vilhjalmsdottir  is a painter from Iceland. She studied painting in the United States and currently lives and works in Iceland.

An artist feels that her works respond to each other. To whom the monuments in public spaces are dedicated ? Why are they here? Are they historically accurate? Do they glorify the people or the city?  In her works Solveig is thinking about the impact of monuments to Utena city. How do they work the viewers? Does the audience influence the occurrence and location of the monuments? Do these places attract people? Do historical facts influence viewer's reactions, if there is any? The viewers are passive or active? Why there are so few people in public spaces? Is it because of the location or architecture? Or maybe the culture,  which in such a short period of time the artist could not comprehend?

Solveig exhibits her paintings under the bridge. This is mysterious and usually invisible place, where invisible underground life happens. Quite often this is a place where various illegal signs appear,  where one can hide from the rain and bustle of the city. Places under the bridge are one of those point-breaks of the city, where the pace of the city slows down.

Audrius Šimkūnas,

I traveled here listening/city in ambush (island). 2015.

Audrius Šimkūnasis one of the first experimental avant-garde music representatives in Lithuania,  who founded a band SALA and played there for awhile. Currently, Audrius actively works as a sound artist. This is how Audrius himself describes his works: „I manipulate soundscapes and collect them. I explore spaces  and  sensing of its elements through the acoustic features.Visually, it would be akin to photography,  but when the eyes are closed, in a dark room, the work becomes a phonography.“

The initial idea of work– inaudible city or city, that was heard differently. Sounds, that are rather inaudible, but they affect us as much as everyday sounds. These are vibrations of different urban objects, recorded using contact microphones and converted into the audible range of vibrations. į Unexpected excursions into the underwater world that is right next to us, armed with hydrophones. Electric city, submerged in the ocean of electromagnetic radiation, dead and dreaming like a mythical monster Cthulhu. I traveled here while listening to the city in ambush (island)-alone and together with all of  you that weren’t there.

Urbanistinio Šokio Teatras Low Air,

Season, while on the mountain...?. 2015.

Airida Gudaitė and Laurynas Žakevičius are  representatives and choreographers  of urban dance, known as a duo Low Air. Airida and  Laurynas have founded an urban dance school in Vilnius.

Season, while on the mountain...? is a performative dance performance, wherein reflecting on present and historical past of public spaces. Performance takes place in a square next to the sculpture „Rainbow”, which , by the people of Utena, was dubbed „shashlik”  . The place where rainbow-shashlik stands has a past , which was marked by death.  There, after the Second World War were buried Russian soldiers, who were later evicted to a different location.

As artists themselves say, they perceive interpretation of public spaces (with the help of contemporary art tools) as a dialog between current/former object or certain circumstances, that are  occurring in public spaces and an artist.  Its result could be a formation of a new approach to interviewed  public space.

For a long time urban dance was forming in public spaces and one of the main functions of the dance was  self-meditation or a simple entertainment for passers-by. That’s why urban (street) dance and street (hip-hop) culture in general is an integral part of public space – a key element here is the relationship with the community.

Žilvinas Landzbergas,

Make A Wish. 2015.

Žilvinas Landzbergas studied at the Vilnius Academy of Arts, Department of Sculpture. In 2008 he was awarded the main prize of modern and contemporary art publishing house Thieme Art. Currently, he countinues his PhD studies at the Vilnius Academy of Arts. In Žilvinas works materiality and reflection of personal experience, which is often associated with a particular place and time, are very important.

It’s a sculptural object, specially designed for the city of Utena. This artwork talks about people's dreams with a light humor. Object's location was chosen in the industrial part of the city, where is full of advertising, offering to improve everyday life in one way or another. Although this object is constructed according to the principles of advertising, it doesn't directly advertise, but rather raises questions about the existence and its quality. At the same time it is a sculpture, which gives a new meaning to the city periphery and creates a new point of associative attraction.

Vitalij Červiakov,

Le liūnai. 2015.

Moving line. 2015.

Vitalij Červiakov is a representative of visual art, who graduated photography, media art and sculpture studies at the Vilnius Academy of Arts. Vitalij‘s  works has procesual and performative character. His works are multilayer processes and interventionsin the surrounding space or certain contemporary art processes,carried out in collaboration with other artists.Collaboration is particularly important feature of the artist's work. During the project Vitalijcreated and presented two works: Le liūnai ir Moving Line.

The work explores the phenomenon of urban legend. According to etymologists, there is „Le liūnas“  (a quagmire) in Leliūnai town. (In French language, article "le" is attached before masculine nouns.) Town legend says that a drowned woman is still haunting this place. It’s not clear, when this story emerged and spread, but in this work an artist continues the rumours. He also takes the role of a ghost catcher and after installing a video surveillance camera tries to capture the ghost of a lady that haunts Leliūnai district. Live streaming of the chase can be seen in the website http://vitaleus.com/

The work Moving Line is exhibited at the entrance of the Utena Regional Museum. This is a screen with a moving line. This type of screens is often used in advertising. The lines that are being displayed  are writings, which were found on walls, benches, various ads, graffiti and etc. during the walk around Utena. Appearance of such texts in Ethnographic Museum indicates desire to archive, an attempt to make them into exhibits and prominence. Etnographic Museum is a place where information about region's past and present is collected and archived, so future generations could comprehend how their ancestors lived. In a sense, street „poetry” also presents contemporary human issues and the atmosphere of the city .

Anna Sigridur Olafsdottir,

Public forms. 2015.

Anna Sigridur Olafsdottir is a dancer and performance artist, who lives and works in Iceland. In her works  the artist focuses on the reflection of social issues as well as  audience participation and involvement. During the project Anna presented an interactive performance  Public forms.

Public forms is a performance that requires audience participation. In a meadow next to one of the busiest streets in Utena Anna set up a temporary stage,  where she performed her performance. Artist‘s goal  is to think and/or encourage others to think about how we behave at home and how we do it in public spaces. 

Annainvited passers-by to participate in the dance performance and  try to create a character.The artist herself became a faceless basis, on which , with the help of make-up and costumes, people created various images. In this way, Anna became like some kind of mirror, imitating passers-by. With these actions the artist wanted to show, that while being in public spaces we often behave like on a theater stage. We always play some kind of role, use make-up, create characters, so if we want  public spaces to become cozier, we should stop behaving like on a theater stage.