KAUNAS FULL OF CULTURE 2020 MARCH

KAUNAS FULL OF CULTURE

Behind the scenes

2020 MARCH Illustration by Agnė Žiūkaitė

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This is why the stage looks from behind the curtains during the play Mechanical Heart at National Kaunas Drama Theatre. Still from video by Donatas StankeviÄ?ius.

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You spend two hours in the theatre, but the team of a hundred and fifty worked on the play for three months or more. It took you 15 minutes to see the exhibition at a gallery, but the artist may have been working on the series for a decade. You look for the right music for jogging or work, and with one click you write off or complement the five-minute snippets of sound that were being composed for a year. And if the piece is longer, then perhaps even two. And the house you just passed by looks just like a house until you learn who built it and when, how much it cost, who lived and created there and why things have changed.

A thousand invisible “thank you’s” The backstage is not meant to be visible. And that’s why it is so exciting. In this issue, we will not tell you how many kilometres of silk a musical premiere requires.

We joked with communication specialist Lina Stankevičiūtė, who showed us around the workshops of Kaunas State Musical Theatre that this number could only be known by the theatre finance department that gets all the bills. However, we did count how many suitcases one needs to make a sound quality recording of the symphony orchestra’s concert with Grammy nominees Vilius Keras and Aleksandra Kerienė.

This month we got acquainted with the make-up artist at the National Kaunas Drama Theater,

Alina Nėniūtė, who has been seeing actors up close for 40 years. Almost unintentionally we also told the story of the former Kaunas Small Theater – one of the spaces of Kaunas 2022 is now operating in the theatre building in the Old Town. And did you know that Kaunas Regional State Archive operates in a former synagogue?

In fact, in a rebuilt one. Another religion-related voyage is to Christ’s Resurrection Church in Kaunas, where the series of events Word and Color has been taking place for a decade.

The Merkurijus rubric will offer news brought from the Vilnius Book Fair and a place true to the principles of circular economy and zero waste. We promise to take only one copy of this issue to the place mentioned above.

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One Greek myth tells the story of King Pygmalion, who created the sculpture of a perfect woman because none of the surrounding women pleased him. The statue was so perfect that Pygmalion begged the goddess Aphrodite to breathe life into her. The goddess was beneficent, and Pygmalion soon married Galatea.

The birthplace of fair ladies Gunars Bakšejevs Photos by Arvydas Čiukšys

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Victorian writers were particularly fond of this myth – W. S. Gilbert inspired George Bernard Shaw, who wrote the play Pygmalion in the early 20th century. Shaw, in turn, inspired Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, who created the iconic Broadway musical My Fair Lady. Beauty will save the world – even in the Soviet period Kaunas My Fair Lady was staged twice; the third time was after the restoration of independence. At the moment, Kaunas State Musical Theater is preparing for the premiere of the fourth version of the musical.

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This process usually takes several months in this hundred-year-old theatre – as soon as the premiere takes place, preparations for the next one begins. Not only actors, musicians, and corps de ballet get to work – carpenters, artists, and tailors start labouring too. And the work lasts long. I don’t mean overtime but decades in the same workplace. And no wonder – the

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place is the same but the work is different every time. No day is the same as storylines, directors, actors, artists, stage designers, and fashions continuously change.

The tailor’s workshop has to make two hundred costumes for this performance. Eliza, the protagonist of the musical, will be played by three soloists and the heroine will change dress six times. Eighteen dresses. When we dropped by, one of the tailors happened to be stitching a long, shimmering headdress, laughing that on the eve she had brought some of the sequins home (on herself) with a trolleybus.

The third kaunastic version of 1998 was the closest to the Broadway performance. The costumes for the musical were then made by an Austrian artist who was heavily influenced by the 1964 film of the same name. This time, it is Kotryna Daujotaitė who pours her sympathy for the Gatsby era into her sketches.

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There is a tailor’s workshop, but there are also costume storages where thousands of them are stacked together on several floors so that not even a single moth could get in. There would be no shortage of ideas for a carnival. Here too we are assured that it is not that easy to rent a costume from here. But if the play is written off ... some costumes go to museums too.

We jealously close the cloakroom door and knock on the carpenters’ door. They laugh that there is no romance there. We do find it in the scenery workshop – the artists point

to the two and a half thousand roses that were turned into a transparent curtain. Or is it a wall? We will see it at the end of March. They say that now, the possibilities, of course, are different – you can buy many details, although no robot will ever be able to take over such work.

Initially, the stage layout is made that looks like a dollhouse. And then the mountains, seas, buildings, and streets are created. The whole world can fit on one stage. And it is all born on these premises – spacious, with fantastically high windows that were opened during our visit. The smell of paint – not so romantic. And all of that is for you, dear viewers. To bring to life a really great Fair lady.

A bit reminiscent of King Pigmalion, right? It is impossible not to love such a beautiful (your own) work.

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And the women from the tailor’s workshop remembered the work with Juozas Statkevičius, who created costumes for Madame Pompadour, with the utmost respect.

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We met with Alina Nėniūtė, a make-up artist at the National Kaunas Drama Theater before lunch next to the familiar ticket offices. From there, she led us through intricate theatre corridors to a cosy make-up room. Every actor pops in there before the play. I have no doubt that many stories were shared and heard here, tears of joy and sadness shed; however, what happens in the make-up room, stays in the make-up room.

A. Nėniūtė has been working in this welllit room for 45 years, and she is gradually transferring her acquired knowledge to two young make-up artists. A. Nėniūtė told us about the peculiarities of this speciality transmitted by word of mouth, her love of theatre and her most memorable work experiences.

My way of life Justė Vyšniauskaitė Photos by Donatas Stankevičius

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I think that when people hear the word ‘make-up’, they still often imagine a beautician, a make-up specialist. However, your speciality is much broader.

What does your daily work consist of?

Make-up is just one – often last – part of preparing an actor for the play. Planning begins well before the premieres. First, you need to discuss everything with the costume designers. Here it is decided whether the performance will need wigs, beards, moustaches and of what style these details should be. Naturally, epochal, historical, and contemporary productions require completely different makeup. It takes a long time to make these details, so we start preparing them a month or two in advance.

However, even if you do not need a wig or a moustache, we create the hairstyles out of actors’ natural hair. For me, working with hair is basically more interesting, and when I came to work in the theatre, more attention was given to it. It cannot be said that make-up was unimportant; however, it was the wigs and elaborate hairstyles that reigned here.

Where do old used wigs and other make-up details go? Have you saved anything for your own recollection?

When the theatre was being repaired, some of the wigs had to be stored in unheated rooms.

Unfortunately, they got mouldy from the dampness and were discarded. Other obsolete wigs leave with the trash, but we keep most of the fair-quality wigs that are no longer needed for the performance. Later, they can be restored, remodelled, changed or completely remade for new plays.

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The most precious are the oldest ones, handmade out of natural hair.

Today, most of the wigs we use are synthetic, but even they can be used several times. For example, when preparing for the play Shadows, we had to attach hair to dolls. In that case, older and simpler wigs came in handy. I am never in a hurry to throw things away, but I don’t keep anything for myself for sentimental reasons. What I want most is to use the things I made, again and again, to bring them back to life. The best wigs have their own stories – they travel to different countries, from performance to performance. It is nice to know that more than one actress used something I created.

For example, one wig was worn by Gražina Balandytė in the play It’s Only the End of the World, and now it can be seen on Ugnė Žirgulė’s head in the White Shroud.

You have already mentioned that you consult costume designers before the premiere.

And do you have to work directly with the directors? Do you have to discuss make-up with the actors? How much creative freedom do you have in this job?

It all depends on the individual person – some directors come to discuss in person, others do not.

There is a lot of communication with Gintaras Varnas, who comes to tell me all about his artistic idea face to face. Well, of course, the actors may object, but their makeup is decided in advance with the director and the stage and costume artists, so usually, there are no misunderstandings. I always try to reflect on the actors’ needs, to make them comfortable on the stage, so they wouldn’t have to spend much time in the make-up chair.

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There is a lot of freedom in this line of work. Perhaps it is not spontaneous, but the kind that comes with experience. It occurs in the planning stages. Costume artists usually listen to my advice while preparing for the premiere.

It’s a little harder with the younger generation because they are minimalists and sometimes just give examples from the internet.

Of course, communication with the team and mutual understanding get better in time.

In the long run, you get used to the job and then nothing seems difficult. In my youth, early in my career, it was sad to have to sacrifice all evenings and holidays. Still, I discovered many wonderful things in this line of work. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have worked here for decades. The theatre is the kind of institution that draws a person in, of course, if they are interested.

And what were the memorable moments?

most

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What is the hardest part of your job?

I remember the tours fondly, which were plenty during my first year of work. The trips lasted three weeks, a month or more. Then we would become really close to the theatre team, like a real family. This is how theatre became my way of life.

It is often mentioned that the theatre make-up artist must be both a friend and a psychologist.

Still, do you find this part of the job challenging, emotionally demanding, or is it only pleasure?

You just get used to it. Today, this part of my work does not give me strong emotions, and sometimes it is even a little funny. All the

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knowledge, both professional and human, related to the work of a make-up artist, was passed on to me by the previous generation and now I am trying to pass it on to the younger generation. It is true that a certain understanding comes with age. Then you know better when to be silent and when to chat with an actor sitting in a make-up chair.

How has your job changed in 45 years?

In the past, we only had one box that we had received from Moscow.

I remember the powder had such a strong smell that it pervaded the theatre. Practically everything had to be handmade, and today you can just go and buy it. We now have far more tools and materials than we would receive several decades ago.

Wigs and make-up have become increasingly available – both theatrical and for everyday use.

The styling of the make-up has also changed. In the past, things were more theatrical – I had to add fake noses, do a stronger, more characteristic make-up. I would see how this transformation of appearance made it easier for an actor to transition into a role. Now the theatre is becoming more and more real life-like.

Does your experience support the notion that creativity is best revealed when we face a limited number of tools?

Indeed. When I came to work at the theatre, we used to make our own lipstick and scented lip balm with my teacher. When it comes to making something from scratch, there is more room for creativity.

I try to teach the girls working in the theatre how to sew moustaches, beards, and other subtleties. Today, however, things are different.

To my knowledge, there are no schools in Lithuania that prepare qualified theatre make-up artists who would know everything from A to Z. One girl who is currently working with me has studied this speciality in London, but even the knowledge she gained during the studies is not enough. In addition to being able to create sophisticated hairstyles or make-up, the make-up artist must also be familiar with the history of different eras and contemporary trends. It takes years and years of practice to learn all of this; you must understand not only the subtleties of make-up but also the very nature of theatre. We used to joke with a former colleague that the first ten years are tough, but the next ten years are even harder because the requirements are only increasing. This profession requires a lot of patience, dedication and sincere love for theatre.

How many hours before the performance do you start your work?

When we prepare for performances that feature a lot of actors and use sophisticated costumes and

make-up, we start work about five hours before the play. Then, when it comes to less grandiose performances, it may take a couple of hours. But when it comes to the premiere, we add one more hour for preparation because things must be perfect.

How long will one actor spend in the make-up room depends on the planned changes in appearance. It can take up to an hour if we need to curl the hair, comb it and do make-up. We prepare for the plays on their eve. In this way, everything goes faster and smoother the next day – the day of the performance.

Are you excited about working with premieres and looking for new solutions or you find it better today to prepare for the familiar and beloved plays?

Of course, I have more fun working on new plays, putting make-up on actors for general rehearsals and premieres. It encourages enthusiasm – you have to go to a rehearsal, look at the make-up from the auditorium and if something is wrong – fix it or search for a different solution. I find it extremely interesting.

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How are these professionals being taught today?

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The name of Kaunas, or rather the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra, which has been featured on the Grammy nominations’ list several times is the merit of many people including musicians and the music director Algimantas Treikauskas, Kaunas Philharmonic, the architectural nature of which is particularly suitable for recordings, the world’s best soloists coming to our city and the conductor Constantine Orbelian who invites them. And two other people who are virtually never seen in public – sound directors. Vilius and Aleksandra Kerai founded Baltic Mobile Recordings almost eight years ago, and they never limited themselves to the Baltic countries. They are continually working in Germany, England, and other countries. They have a small studio at the State Youth Theater near Vilnius Town Hall. It contains many recordings, large monitors, piano, and perfect acoustics. It is true – even the interview recording sounds great on the headphones.

I begin my acquaintance with the Vilnius residents, who studied in Kaunas, with a personal question. Probably no couple working together can avoid it.

The magic of music with Kerai Kotryna Lingienė Photos by Kipras Štreimikis

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How did you meet?

Aleksandra: Kaunas University of Technology. I graduated from the conservatory, majoring in classical piano, and Vilius was a flutist. We decided, though not at the same time, that sound directing and behind-the-scenes work is closer to the heart and mind.

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Vilius: I started studying in KTU a few years earlier. Aleksandra was finishing her bachelor’s, and I returned from my postgraduate studies abroad and started teaching.

She was my best student.

Why did sound directing seem more appealing than a performer’s profession?

Vilius: Sound directing allows you to stay close to the art while providing the possibility to approach it from a completely different angle and on a much more comprehensive range. I had big stage fright, and I decided that I definitely won’t be a musician because I will not be able to give myself away on the stage, but I didn’t want to quit music either. Sound directing has always fascinated me, I had even set up a radio at my school, and my dad is interested in recordings. Perhaps, indirectly, he pushed me towards it, although everyone is an accountant in my family. It so happened that I got accepted to KTU and did not regret it – the speciality still fascinates me. Every day is different.

Aleksandra: My mother used to take me to the opera and other theatres when I was a kid; we used to listen to records at home – music, children’s plays. I started playing the piano at the age of five. When graduating from the conservatory, I asked myself a serious question – do I want to be a performer? I gave

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myself an honest answer – I am not talented enough to be on the stage.

Also, I wanted more colours in life than black and white piano keys.

Of course, I didn’t want to abandon all the accumulated knowledge.

Among the list of specialities offered by universities, I noticed the music technology – sound directing. However, the choice of master’s was well thought out: I knew I wanted to work with orchestras. I learned that there was such a speciality like tonmeister and I joined the Royal Academy in Copenhagen. This is a rare speciality. You can also study it in Germany; similar studies can be found in the UK. How is a tonmeister different from a sound director?

Aleksandra: It gives the privilege of working very closely with the orchestra, to colour it, establishing a very close relationship with the conductor. If you have a good knowledge of the score, which is a must, you can guide the recording not only from a technical but also from an artistic point of view – being a grey eminence of sorts.

Let’s talk about stereotypes.

Is the sound director a “masculine” profession? How is it perceived by the members of the orchestra, conductors, and ultimately colleagues?

Aleksandra: In Lithuania, the stereotype exists. At my first workplace, LRT, I initially experienced some surprised glances. I can’t say it was distrust, maybe a doubt that a woman could be a sound director. During my studies in Copenhagen, this myth completely dissipated in my mind.

I realized that a woman must find her place in this speciality. As I

started to feel stronger about my choice, male colleagues offered me support and encouragement. I am very grateful to them for not clipping my wings.

And how did you start working together?

Vilius: We already had joint projects in LRT. While working there, we started getting offers for recordings from the outside, one or another orchestra would invite us. We have become a solid team.

Aleksandra: We believed in our work, its particularity. There are many more sound directors of jazz, pop music, and we work with classical, academic music. Lithuania really needed competent specialists in this field. Not just someone servicing concerts and working in clubs.

When working with such collectives as an orchestra, one

person is probably not enough.

How do you divide tasks?

Aleksandra: Yes, there are two or more [people] involved in the recordings.

Vilius: Of course, sometimes even a trio can be difficult to record, but orchestra requires much more work and technology. And about sharing responsibilities... We decide who will be a producer of the recording, i.e. carrying all the artistic responsibility and who will focus more on a technical side. Depending on how busy we are, we distribute the workload equally.

Aleksandra: At the post-production stage, we also divide the work, which is a plus because there are four instead of two ears. It is okay to let someone else evaluate your work, notice nuances, add some colour.

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You are a mobile team. When you travel to other countries for work, how big does your luggage get?

Vilius: We have frequent flier cards, so we can take extra luggage. Most of the time, everything fits in about five suitcases and a couple of handbags. The heavy ammunition, not related to record quality, for example, microphone stands, we rent locally.

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By the way, how often do you have to upgrade your equipment?

How many times have you been nominated for a Grammy? And what does it feel like when you learn about it?

Vilius: We were nominated once and our recordings four times.

And it feels really good. We never expected it, maybe that’s why it feels special.

Vilius: We are not very old; a lot has changed during that time. We update our computers frequently. Software change is slower. The microphone as a whole has hardly changed since it came into existence. There are, for example, Neumann-designed microphones that work for 60 years, you only need to wipe off the dust and perform maintenance tests.

We generally have many different microphones to be able to work in two locations at once. They are new but created a long time ago. We have more sound cards than at the beginning. We also have turntables at the studio. Occasionally we host album listening sessions. Although it is not entirely our area of work, we gladly welcome musicians.

Aleksandra: Both last year and this year, we were in Los Angeles for the Grammy Awards. Nominees are invited, and you have to figure out how to get it – you can’t buy tickets to the event. The further we explore the work of the Grammy organizer, The Recording Academy, the better we understand that it is a great fortune to have such an academy that doesn’t only notice the things that happen on the stage but also encourages people “behind the scenes” like us.

You work with Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra.

Did you establish your further international connections via Lithuanians or perhaps thanks to your studies abroad?

And if you were to get a Grammy, would it be your highest evaluation?

Aleksandra: The studies broadened our horizons and helped realize that our work can be international.

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and his contacts as well as Gidonas Kremeris with Kremerata Baltica have expanded our contacts. And they all came into our lives at a very similar time, around 2012.

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Vilius: So, primarily, it is a contest of recordings, not conductors or orchestras. It doesn’t focus on performance but rather on what was recorded, put in the medium.

Aleksandra: If we are talking about orders and medals, probably yes. However, the biggest incentive is when a musician is happy with our work, takes a record and listens to it.

And do ordinary listeners who go to concerts and buy records have a chance to appreciate what you do?

Aleksandra: For people, concerts, opera are a celebration for the soul. After all, most do not go to concerts every week. When you buy a recording of the music you heard live, especially if you buy it right after the concert, you will experience that uplifting emotion again after listening. If the recording is poor, the emotion is less strong. It’s very intuitive.

Aleksandra: Another artist he brought in that was very memorable was Benjamin Clementine.

Do you dream of being less mobile in the future, setting up a big recording studio here in Lithuania?

Vilius: The studio implies a responsibility to maintain it.

This involves significant financial resources. We do not reject the wish; perhaps we will establish a National Studio or something similar at some point in our life? But there is no urgency.

Finally, I realized what argument to use when talking to those who are recording concerts with their phones! By the way, do you still have time and desire after work to celebrate music and go to concerts?

How many albums are you currently working on? And how long does that take?

Vilius: We do. Of course, you need pauses and breaks from the music, because there’s a lot of it in our lives.

But in that case, we go to different kinds of concerts.

Vilius: And it takes about a year, but anything can happen.

Aleksandra: Although there are certainly many pieces of academic music that I go to listen to at the concerts again and again. But you have to prepare if you want to enjoy it. Otherwise, your brain continues to work and analyze.

I see a Bon Iver record on one shelf. They are coming to Vilnius in the fall, will you go?

Vilius: Yes, Bon Iver is one of my favourites. We are waiting for it.

By the way, my cousin’s husband Povilas Oželis (8 Days A Week) invited them. We have been joking for a long time amongst ourselves – when will you bring Bon Iver?

Aleksandra: A schedule of several months does not quite fit on two pages, as you can see.

Aleksandra: We worked on the opera that was nominated for a Grammy for two years. If we are aware of it in advance, we can fast-track it and be done in half a year. The recording itself takes from 3-5 to 10 days. Preparing for it is long and meticulous, including the analysis of scores, administrative work, time and location coordination if there are several soloists and so on.

Post-production cannot happen fast. Several takes are played or sung during the recording and then piece by piece complex passages, various interpretations, nuances. There is initial editing, public hearings, a gathering of opinions, perfecting...

This is art.

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Vilius: I think so, the quality is obvious even if you don’t have very good audio equipment. After all, most of our records are listened to on Spotify today.

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Vytautas Stasys Lagunavičius (b. 1936) is a painter, textile artist, long-time organizer of exhibitions in Kaunas and other cities, founder and chairman of Kaunas artists’ club Meno sparnai as well as a co-creator of a decade-long event series Word and Color, which takes place at the Kaunas Christ’s Resurrection Church. This project’s loyal audience, happy about the events, doesn’t always know that the presentation of artists and their works hides a consistent and disciplined organizational work carried out by Stasys.

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You have been working and creating as a fine artist, painter, textile artist, and exhibition organizer probably for over 50 years.

Definitely over 50. I remember when I returned from the army. I wanted one thing only – to study painting.

When I went to the Academy of Arts, the professor there told me, “Oh, don’t even consider painting, choose another speciality.” I was stubborn, “Noo, painting or nothing!” I didn’t get in. Next year I was smarter, I said that it didn’t matter where I would get in, as long as it were the arts. I chose textile art, the department of which was headed by Juozas Balčikonis. After all, textile art is close to painting. It is similar in terms of the importance of its colour combinations, composition, only painting requires strokes and textile is rendered on a dotted system. Petras Kalpokas was my teacher at the academy, I looked up to Liudas Truikys a lot. In his reflections, everything merged into one – color, sound, their harmony. He wasn’t my teacher but often visited the fine arts combine, so we would communicate.

Zenonas Varnauskas, who also had an excellent knowledge of painting, was the dean of the academy.

He had told me once, “You know, I have observed you attentively for three years – how much will you deviate? Are you going to improve or not? So, three years later, you have outrun many of those who call themselves artists.”

You worked for many years at the fine arts combine. What type of work was it?

I only worked there with textiles. I started from scratch, I was a weaver, so I just stood at the loom and weaved according

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to the project that was provided.

It’s mechanical work. Later, after graduating from the Academy of Fine Arts, I switched to the artist’s position at the combine (there were about ten of us). We did projects for mass production; sometimes you would get an order – once in ten years [laughs]. There were many serious artists, especially many gifted girls: Angelė Elena Dauknienė, Vitalija Bartkuvienė, Gražina Martinkevičiūtė. However, I could only work with textiles until a certain age. A time came to say goodbye to it, once and for all because my hands were always bloody from the scissors. After all, it is demanding physical labour.

Thus, I began to paint, and I have been doing that for more than 30 years now.

Do you paint every day?

Every day. That’s a habit. Like a violinist who can’t keep up if he doesn’t play daily, I also have to at least hold the brush every day. In the summer I devote all day to this, but in winter I paint for about four hours. The electric heater doesn’t warm my studio enough – only 5-6 degrees – so, after four hours of work, my hands start to freeze.

You are a very productive artist.

It would seem that painting alone would be enough to fill your day. Why do you continue to maintain the organizational, curatorial work?

I cannot find anyone to replace me, so I have to do it myself. We tried to employ a replacement one year, but nothing came of it. The person didn’t have any organizational skills and would put themselves first.

You cannot be selfish when organizing an exhibition that features many participants.

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How many exhibitions you organized?

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I didn’t count, but during the Word and Color project alone, we have organized exhibitions of nearly a hundred artists.

Tell me how the Word and Color project came about?

The project started about ten years ago at St. Archangel Michael’s Church, with the help of the then member of the Seimas Vincė Vaidevutė Margevičienė. Together with Egidijus Stancikas, the director of National Kaunas Drama Theatre, we started to organize exhibitions of different artists there; during openings, various actors’ concerts, performances, and readings would take place. So, Egidijus was in charge of the word, and I was in charge of colour, and this project became a dialogue between word and colour. The program of events was undoubtedly extensive and varied. We organized over ten such exhibitions a year, with spectacular opening events on Sundays after Mass. Later, Vilnius also felt like having such a program, so for a while, we would travel with the artworks to St. Ignatius Church to present the exhibitions there. After the renovation of the Resurrection Church, we began our activities here in the white hall. The program of events was undoubtedly extensive and varied. We organized over ten such exhibitions a year, with spectacular opening events on Sundays after Mass. Later, Vilnius also felt like having such a program, so for a while, we would travel with the artworks to St. Ignatius Church to present the exhibitions there. After the renovation of the Resurrection Church, we began our activities here in the white hall. At first, we were very kindly funded

by Rasa Juknevičienė (politician, a signatory of the March 11 act) but later the funding seized and now the events are taking place thanks to monsignor Vytautas Grigaravičius who invites actors and so on.

Does this project involve collaboration with a younger generation of artists?

I do not look at the artists’ age, but youth is somewhat involved, including the students of the Academy of Arts. Of course, young people have changed a bit – they now promise a lot but do little. It is difficult to come to an agreement.

You are the founder and president of Meno sparnai club.

The club was founded just after the revival and has existed for ten years. We founded it when Zenonas Vegelevičius and Stasys Murza were commanders of officers and pilots. It was they who were very interested in arranging meetings with artists and organizing exhibitions. We got a big hall, which we decorated, covered the oil-painted walls of the Soviet era.

I would hold ten exhibitions a year; thus, quite a few artists were presented there. When the cooperation with the military ended, the work with the church began.

Do exhibitions organized in the church maintain a sacred theme, or do you allow artists the freedom of ideas and expression?

We do allow that. Initially, we thought we might need to associate sacred space with religious art, but later we abandoned this idea. We welcome all kinds of artists and look at their work in a reasonably liberal way.

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A mysterious venue in the Old Town was once home to two extravagant legendary places – Kaunas Small Theatre and its cafe/bar Suflerio būdelė (prompt box). After one of them moved out and the other got closed down, the venue was occupied by Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022 multifunctional meeting place called TEMPO space in which cultural enthusiasts, professionals, community members, and young people actively gather today.

Monika Balčiauskaitė Photos by the author

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When I opened the door of the former Kaunas Small Theater, I saw premises that changed beyond recognition. Just a few years ago it was full of theatre people, whispering viewers and the venue was in complete darkness.

Surrounded by dominant white shades and flower-filled windowsills, I was greeted by Evelina Šuscickytė, the curator of the youth program. During the interview, Aurelija Prašmuntaitė, coordinator of the Kaunas Challenge program, added that the changes took a long time because the team practically did everything with their own hands, however, we will get back to that a bit later.

Let’s go back to where it all started. As a counterweight to academic stability Kaunas Small Theater was established in 1992, on the premises of 34th house on M. Daukšos Street. It was renowned

for its playfulness and otherness as well as the staging of diverse genres that could be seen in the repertoire.

During an interview with journalist Deimantė Dementavičiūtė-Stankuvienė, Arvydas Lebeliūnas who served as art and theatre director in the Small Theatre in 1994-2000, said, “This place used to be full of life. People did small projects, rehearsed and showed them until they had the audience. After that, they would write it off and start something new. It was a very fun period. When there are people who want to do things, theatre becomes alive and when you close up, think about inviting this or that, it doesn’t work.” (Diena.lt, 03/29/2017).

Eventually, the theatre became stagnant. Its new head, Rita Malakienė, set out to save it by changing the former head of the theatre, Audrius Baniūnas,

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who has been in this position for 17 years. During an interview with Deimantė Dementavičiūtė-Stankuvienė, Rita said that she wanted to transform the small theatre into a cultural pole of Kaunas Old Town, inviting people to the most beautiful and inspiring plays, raising the theatre from the ashes. (Diena.lt, 03/29/2017).

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In just a few months, changes took place – it was decided to connect the dying institution to Kaunas Chamber Theater. In a press release, Albinas Vilčinskas, the then head of the Culture Department of Kaunas City Municipality, said that having two small theatres is not the best solution for Kaunas. It is better to focus on one strong institution capable of producing quality plays.

So that is all about the theatre that was located on the second floor. The premises on the ground floor also made quite an impression on me. The place, where members of the TEMPO space program are actively spending their time, from about 1996/1997 used to be a bohemian theatre cafe/bar Suflerio būdelė, known for the nightlife veterans as Sufkė or Suflerkė. It is difficult to comprehend that large crowds of city’s clubbers, as well as guests from other cities and abroad, would often spend their nights in this room, that I was able to cover in a few dozen steps.

“Suflerio būdelė was a unique affair.

I met my closest friends and wife there. Often the whole theatre bohemia would gather there: Ramūnas Šimukauskas, Antanas Obcarskas, and Kęstutis Navakas.

Friends and families would come, as well. Many people are still in contact, having created families.

In general, theatre people, actors, administrators all lived like one big family; a family that did its best not because of money but for their desire to help the theatre,” Kęstutis Narušas, K AU N A S F U L L O F CU LT U R E

who headed the theatre bar for nine years, said.

As time went on, the golden age was over. Leaders, the environment, people themselves have changed.

Although the theatre bar closed after a break of a few years, it opened its doors again. This time was the last. I asked Mindaugas Gudaitis, the last director of the bar, what does he feel when he remembers this place, “I feel sad. The end was fast and unplanned,” he replied.

Although the bar was open for another couple of years, things were not the same anymore. From time to time, old customers, full of sentiment, would come back but it mostly consisted of the new customers who hyperbolized the place. “I could say that this space was the beginning.

The first place for contemporary bohemia, alternative people to gather.

This is how it slowly grew, like O kodėl ne? – a bar we set up in a wooden house in Vytautas Park, which today, feels like a large Suflerio būdelė,” Mindaugas Gudaitis added.

It is symbolic this place once again was turned into a creative space. As I mentioned earlier, Aurelija Prašmuntaitė said that the team and helpers did most of the work. “Everything you see here on the former premises of Kaunas Small Theater was black. From the floor of the hall lined with dark carpets to nailed-up windows. The works were done in stages. First, we sorted out the things that were on the premises, removed the trash (that required four box vans) then carried our minimal demolition. The community was mostly involved in painting and adapting the premises to educational and creative work.

Young people have been particularly involved in setting up the former premises of Suflerio būdelė. The process was similar, but this time

As soon as I sat down, I asked Evelina Šuscickytė, the curator of the youth program – why TEMPO space? “Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022 is made up of several different programs, and one of them is the Tempo Academy. So, change is the aim of this space. To transform people through educational activities aimed at communities, young people, professionals, and volunteers,” she answered without thinking twice. Although the majority of Kaunas 2022 team is working at the premises located in Laisvės Avenue, others are based in the Old Town. This place is used for both youth and community initiatives, brainstorming and is becoming increasingly open to each of us – townspeople – with the opportunity to visit, explore certain cultural forms, and discuss topics of interest.

“We offer open lectures on what we think is necessary to promote cultural activities,” Evelina added. In addition to youth, community events and gatherings, this space hosts Kaunas Challenge meetings every other Saturday – youth training and competence building. Through this program, young people work with

mentors to expand their knowledge in the context of leadership, project management, teamwork, and cultural project generation.

During the interview, Evelina mentioned that the youth platform Puota, an audio installation project in public transport that took place in October in the form of a month-long festival, is the winner of this challenge in 2019. I was genuinely impressed! “We keep hearing that cultural organizations fail to attract young people; they are inactive, and they do not want to get involved. But we try to look at things from a different perspective – to let them offer what they find interesting; create what is relevant to them. And the ongoing projects show that young people are not only capable of generating ideas, but also of implementing them.”

This year, TEMPO Space launches with an open invitation to artists, curators, or people who identify themselves somewhat differently. If a young person creates from secondary raw materials, recycles, then they will accept creative work and look for scientists or students who work with ecology and environmental issues.

The artist will have the opportunity to see things from their perspective as well as the scientist, thus creating something original. I do not doubt that such a solution will help to reach larger audiences and an ever-wider circle of people will recognize this space as interesting and relevant to everyone – different but still attracting many creative personalities.

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we decided not to throw away some items – authentically tilted doors, tables, and chairs. We even organized a campaign to exchange massive theater chairs for plants. This gave the space a cosy feel.” After looking around and getting to know the behind-thescenes of the extraordinary space, I was eager to see what the people, who gather there today, do.

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N G I S E D F O Y T I C O C S E N U – S A N A U K

Perhaps quite a few of our readers remember the Library of Alexandria – the largest depository of knowledge from the Ancient Greek times – from the pages of school textbooks, as well as the fact that the library itself and the most of its treasures did not survive. For many years, it was believed that the army of Julius Caesar burned the library during the siege of the city. Based on the documents that were discovered later, historians presumed that the library, at least partially, survived and decayed much later. However, the currents of history swallowed not only its contents but also the documents credibly describing the course of events. There are many gaps here – did the library collapse during subsequent attacks on the city from the hands of other armies? Or perhaps it simply decayed over a long period after having lost its importance? Two thousand years later, we can only speculate, even about the appearance of one of the most important buildings in the world at the time.

Where Kaunas is stored Paulius Tautvydas Laurinaitis Photos by the author

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Today, we have institutions that exist to prevent such historical gaps. We could call them the descendants of the Library of Alexandria – these are our archives. Historians mainly frequent these places, but some of them help anyone wishing to connect the dots in their personal or broader history circles. It doesn’t matter whether visitors are driven by curiosity or simply want to find legal proof, necessary for bureaucratic processes. To see where and how the documents are stored until we need to take a look at them, we visited Kaunas Regional State Archive. Its director Gintaras Dručkus, head of Document Use Department Vitalija Girčytė and senior specialist Nijolė Ambraškienė assisted us in getting to know the archive.

Next year, the Lithuanian state archives will celebrate their centenary.

The Central State Archive was established in Kaunas in 1921. The whole of the 7th fort of Kaunas Fortress was provided for its use. And although today the main archives of Lithuania are located in Vilnius, Kaunas Regional State Archive is no less a valid successor to the first state archive, albeit with reduced geographical coverage. Today, as if responding to its silent but important function, the archive of Kaunas residents is located near the main street of the city, hiding from the people, who rush down Laisvės Avenue, inside one of the quarters. Its visitors are well acquainted with the archive’s reading room, where they can have a look at the ordered files from various periods. Perhaps we wouldn’t surprise anyone by saying that most of the building is occupied by its four-storey core – seven depositories with about 10 kilometres of shelves containing

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over 1.300.000 files. Their survival is ensured by the dimmed lights, the temperature of 16-18 degrees Celcius and 40-60 per cent humidity.

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During the first Soviet occupation, the archive was forced out of the 7th fort, which was taken for the needs of the occupying army, and its records were scattered around several different locations in Kaunas. They were stored in Pažaislis Monastery, Tartar mosque as well as on Nemunas Street.

A separate former interwar period municipality archive remained in the Town Hall. The current building of the archive is a witness to the Jewish past of Kaunas. For nearly a hundred years it served as a so-called Hausman Synagogue, the walls of which still surround the first two storeys of depositories. “A part of the Jewish community that survived in 1944 held religious ceremonies here,” V. Girčytė said. “And after the nationalization of the building in the 1960s, the former worship house was given to the storage facilities of the archive.” As the archivists told us, the building, which was radically renovated in 1985, increased to 4 floors and became the primary home of the archive. Then everything was done according to the latest word of Soviet archivism, and saving the precious space, the shelves were compacted and grouped very densely. When there is a need for files, the necessary shelf is pulled out on special rails. And yet, it was impossible to avoid the paradoxes of Soviet planning. Electric motors that had to ensure automatic movement of shelving were not installed because it turned out that this could not be done according to the fire safety requirements. “Very fitting for allfemale depository employees,” the interviewees laughed, showing us that a shelf containing thousands of files was not the easiest object to move.

This problem will be resolved by the planned reconstruction of the archive, which will also replace other minor K AU N A S F U L L O F CU LT U R E

deficiencies in the building that have emerged as archivism developed.

Archival documents are stored grouped according to fonds and their smaller sections – inventories.

Although files are stored in special boxes to protect them from the dust, most Tsarist period files are stored in original bundles. “With each touch, the file wears down; therefore they only appear in cases when we receive an order,” N. Ambraškienė said. The files in some fonds are in very poor condition. It is often the result of the dissipation of the archive during the first occupation when the bigger part of the lower Kaunas was flooded by the great flood of 1946, “The state of the file is usually a matter of luck, depending on whether it was stored on the top or bottom shelves at that time.” In the event of discovering a poor-quality file or the one that shows the signs of mould, the archive employees take it to a restoration workshop where it will undergo a lengthy treatment process.

We couldn’t help but ask – which of the archival treasures has the highest demand among visitors? “It depends on the processes and politics in the state – during the restitution period, one of the most popular fonds was the one containing the documents of the interwar period’s tax office. Now, a lot of people are applying for work experience proof from the Soviet period that can be found in collective farm protocols. And whenever the question of dual citizenship comes up, we experience a commotion from every corner of the world.” The archivists themselves are incredibly proud of the passport card fond, which contains passport information of almost all Kaunas residents of the interwar period. Indeed, Jonas Jablonskis, Levas Karsavinas, and Pranas Hiksa were looking at us from the cards showcased on the table.

Soon, a thick file of Kazys Grinius, the head of the Medical Department of the

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Sometimes documents of various eras are discovered accidentally, in places where one would least expect to find them. V. Girčytė found another important historical document in a random file – the testament of Bishop Motiejus Valančius.

Interestingly, both the calls for participation and the official seal of the electoral committee are available in all five languages that were spoken in Kaunas of the time. On the fourth floor, where most of the documents from the Tsarist period are stored, there was a lonely file about half a meter thick on the table. “We use this scene to scare the school excursions, so the children would not get an idea to become archivists,” V. Girčytė laughed when opening the collection of documents.

On the one hand, it is the competence of the archive employees that determines which of the many different institutions’ internal files or personal archives will be selected for future preservation, on the other hand, a factor of the uncertainty of the future remains. According to our interviewees, without knowing certain keywords, the archivist would not be able to judge the importance of the file solely from the lists of files that arrive in the shape of removal acts. They are responsible for the type of information that will reach future citizens in the centuries to come.

“Around ten per cent of nearly one and a half million of our files have never been opened. But why?” The director asked. “Is it because they were once placed for no reason or because it was not their time yet? If we will preserve what must be preserved, and we will do it properly, then future generations will say “thank you.”

“One thing is a romantic literary narrative; another is an archive that helps us tell how things actually were,” director of the archive, G. Dručkus said when telling us about the Tsarist police document discovered by the archivists, which describes the execution of Tadas Blinda by the crowd in Luokės Market. However, according to our interlocutors, the old documents are often preserved only by chance – both the archive’s pride – the Passport Card fond and the Tax Office fond that played a key role in the restitution of property, were not originally intended as document collections of permanent storage.

“Perhaps if the Soviet period lasted longer, in several years’ time the tax office files would have ended up in the rubbish dump, but after independence, they served as prime evidence of property restitution, as no notarial documents survived,” G. Dručkus said.

Today, many archives of the interwar period institutions are considered to be lost not only due to geopolitical shifts but also because of the failure to adopt a law on archives governing the order of file transfer at the time.

In conclusion, it probably would not be a bad thing to say “thank you” on behalf of all readers to the employees of Kaunas archive for what has already been preserved. The townspeople (and others) are welcome to research history and visit an exhibition hall curated by N. Ambraškienė, where at least several times a year exhibition of the archive’s treasures take place.

Until the end of this March, it’s a gym, or more precisely, an exhibition dedicated to the athletes of the interwar period. Original posters from the 1930s, documents from the first Olympians and the Kaunas Sports Hall project – who wouldn’t want to see the country’s sports roots?

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time, with his hand-written reports materialized in front of us from the City Municipality’s fond. The first protocols of Kaunas Revivalists soon followed together with the file of the first municipal election that took place in December of 1918.

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Like every month, Merkurijus rubric that presents new publications (sometimes objects) about Kaunas or from Kaunas, travels to a new spot in the city. This time we are in the first zero-waste store in Kaunas. The principles are solid. When asked if we should bring them magazines so that the customers could pick them up, the founders politely declined. We accept the remark and congratulate the store, to which, to buy groats, vegetables or certain household items, one must come with their own containers – a glass jar or a bag. You can even bring jars from your pantry for others to use. Because we do manufacture and consume too much packaging too fast. Therefore, after you read this copy of the magazine, we urge you to give it to someone else and visit the Full Jar store the next weekend.

Merkurijus Gunars BakĹĄejevs Photos by ArtĹŤras Bulota

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Green Kaunas Notebook (Kaunas City Museum) 6,10 € / ticket offices of all museum branches

Liza’s Apartment 2 Novel Vaiva Rykštaitė (Tyto Alba) About 11 € / All bookstores

(Lizos

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Vaiva Rykštaitė (b. 1985) is a blogger with a master’s in philosophy. She currently lives in Hawaii but grew up in the Old Town of Kaunas. Lisa’s Apartment is her eighth book. The plot unfolds in an apartment in the Old own. Somewhere further away, outside the window, people are preparing for the Baltic Way; they confront the tanks on the night of January 13, they celebrate, buy and sell – it is the beginning of wild capitalism… In Lithuanian.

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At the beginning of the 20th century, Kaunas started to expand rapidly. When planning new residential areas, attempts were made to apply the urban-garden ideas prevalent at the time. Resort areas were slowly forming around the city, but not every resident could afford to relax there. As a result, the city authorities took care of Kaunas parks and designed new ones so that they would also appear near working-class neighbourhoods.

Gradually, green became the colour of the city, and “green city” was one of the most commonly heard descriptions of Kaunas. The notebook (design: Ona Bričkutė), published by Kaunas City Museum, contains photographs depicting the 20th-century city’s green spaces and Kaunas residents’ relationship to them.

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Monograph Heritage as Conflict: Methodological Prerequisites for the Assessment of the 20th century Lithuanian Architectural Heritage (Paveldas kaip konfliktas: metodologinės Lietuvos XX a. architektūrinio palikimo vertinimo prielaidos) Vaidas Petrulis (KTU publishing house Technologija) 11,99 € / e-parduotuve.ktu.edu Despite the fundamental purpose of the architectural heritage, which is to foster the identity of the area, public debates about the meaning and significance of historical artefacts in the modern world often unfold as a field of social tension. Through the example of the 20th-century architectural heritage, monograph seeks to discuss the root causes of this phenomenon by defining the social, cultural, and economic origins of conflicts in the discipline of heritage. Lithuanian.

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4 Tales of the Beast of Kaunas (Kaunas 2022) www.kaunas2022.eu This year Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022 made a debut in the Vilnius Book Fair as a publishing house. The curator of the project, Rytis Zemkauskas, concentrated the stories about Kaunas – a city which is slowly turning from the temporary capital into an eternal one – that were accumulated through centuries or perhaps only dreamt or made up last year, into several dozen short stories. The fairytales are not only for children, and it isn’t just a book – kaunastically illustrated, it is also a compilation of Kaunas 2022 and European values. Available in Lithuanian and English!

5 Anamorphoses: Distorted Perspectives (Anamorfozės: iškreiptos perspektyvos) Jurgis Baltrušaitis (Six Chairs Books) About 15 € / sixchairsbooks.lt and selected bookstores Jurgis Baltrušaitis, a Lithuanian-born art historian and medievalist, has spent most of his life in Paris. A visual culture researcher and art critic Odeta Žukauskienė notes in the introduction of the book that was published in Lithuanian for the first time, “Baltrušaitis wasn’t wrong in saying that anamorphoses belong to the time of the future that perhaps has already arrived.

The research of anamorphoses has moved to architecture, urbanism, design, literature, film and new media theory, psychology, and other fields revealing the principles of multiplicity and multiperspective.” In Lithuanian.

6 The New Town of Kaunas (Kauno naujamiestis), Junona Almonaitienė and Vytenis Almonaitis (Keliautojo žinynas) About € 11 / 1001 knyga and other bookstores “Historical and cultural monuments in the Nemunas Valley can tell a great deal about other historical periods as well: The Tsarist rule, brutal German period, bleak Soviet period, hopeful Revival, and the decades of Independence. We sought to reflect all of them in the book. For the convenience of the city guests and Kaunas residents, in this guidebook, we have tried to provide concise information about the most important museums, theatres and other public cultural institutions of the New Town,” the publishers write in the annotation of this compact guide. In Lithuanian.

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festival programme covers all age groups from infants to adolescents as well as includes families and teachers.

03 03 – 03 07

Theatre week

Festival “Dive into the Theatre”

Photo provided by the theatre

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On March 28, the Kaunas State Puppet Theatre will be hosting the annual Fortune awards dedicated to the World Theatre Day. To raise the awareness and build up the dramatic tension, the whole week before the awards in Kaunas is called the Theatre Week, initiated by Kaunas City Chamber Theatre. Expect various pop-up performances, play readings, discussions and excursions, as well as the unexpected. All around Kaunas!

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National Kaunas Drama Theatre, Laisvės al. 71

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03 23 – 03 28

The theme of the 10th-anniversary educational theatre festival for children and youth festival is oceans, so come to the theatre and let your imagination swim in the vast waters of knowledge. The Theatre Ship will take you to fun encounters with theatre creators: actors, artists, and directors. It will also carry you to the cosy islands of performances, the bays of creative workshops, and remind us of the garbage monster roaming our oceans along with other environmental issues. This year, the festival offers a considerable international program of performances with the guests from Iceland, bringing the rainy Icelandic weather, Hungarian actors, arriving with African beats, and Polish guests, coming with puppets, performing underwater, and even bringing a flood together with Noah’s Ark. The

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Premiere. Theatre performance “Electra”

National Kaunas Drama Theatre, Laisvės al. 71

Photo by D. Stankevičius

March The performance Electra was created by the Slovenian creative team and the company of actors of the National Kaunas Drama Theatre. When moulding the dramatic texture, the director and dramatist Jaša Koceli employed texts of ancient Greek authors (Sophocles, Euripides, Aeschylus) reflecting the myth of Electra. Director Jaša Koceli created an original interpretation of the myth, focusing it on a waiting-woman. Electra, daughter of Agamemnon, the hero of Trojan War, and Queen Clytemnestra, is mourning her murdered father and waiting for the return of her brother to avenge for her father’s death. Depression, abuse, lack of possibilities, childhood, and broken dreams are confined in her waiting.

Electra is not only a character of ancient Greek drama but also a symbol of a modern fighting woman.

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Premiere.

Musical “My fair lady” Kaunas State Musical Theatre, Laisvės al. 91

“My Fair Lady” is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw’s “Pygmalion”, with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe.

The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons from professor Henry Higgins, a phoneticist, so that she may pass as a lady. The musical‘s 1956 Broadway production was a notable critical and popular success and was followed by numerous productions

worldwide. Currently, the Kaunas State Musical Theatre is working on its fourth version of “My Fair Lady”.

Read more about its backstage at the beginning of this issue.

Sunday, 03 29, 6 pm

Theatre performance “Sombras”

National Kaunas Drama Theatre, Laisvės al. 71

Photo by D. Stankevičius

Sombras (Shadows) is an experiment directed by Gintaras Varnas and is a reflection on the meaning of theatre and its value. It encourages a discussion about theatre art and the artist that is seeking an unattainable truth. This dramaturgic collage consists of texts by Spanish poet and playwright F.G. Lorca, as well as excerpts from the play “Six Characters in Search of an Author” by Italian playwright Luigi Pirandello. This play is an intellectual journey into the theatre world, where magic and everyday life, reality and mysticism, real-world and illusion, lies and truth, life and death intertwine.

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Calendar MUSIC Friday, 03 06

“Susikirtimai XXI” Kaunas Artists’ House, V. Putvinskio g. 56

a drummer Nicholas Remondino. ŌTONN create multiform improvisation combining suspended moments with noisy passages and groove. Also on stage – Alanas Gurinas, who uses readymade objects, combines them with handmade instruments, listens to the resulting sounds and manipulates them, and Škicas, a photographer, a cameraman working with analogue technology, creator of synthesizers, operator of a sound system, organizer of exclusive location parties, wizard of space techno.

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ŌTONN. Photo by Vieri Cervelli Montel

The series of sound art and experimental music events is organised by Kirtimai Cultural Center in Vilnius and, since the end of the year 2019 also held in Kaunas. Each “Susikirtimai” concert brings together several artists exploring different musical backgrounds, whose music interact and cross, creating a unique atmosphere that differs every evening.

This time, you’ll meet ŌTONN, a project stemming from the need for expression of two young artists, a singer Andrea Silvia Giordano and

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Photo by Laura Jaraminaitė

Kabloonak is a tiny musician, living under your carpet or somewhere in the attic. He makes songs that fit perfectly into your pocket and keep you warm while listening.

Kabloonak was born in 2016 when the drummer Jonas Narbutas put aside his drum sticks for a while and released his debut homemade album. In Kaunas, Jonas will perform with a full band, but he promises it’ll be as cosy as in his attic.

March 03 09 – 03 14

International festival “ Kanklės in my hands”

Kaunas City Museum Folk Music Branch, L. Zamenhofo g. 4 The kanklės is a Lithuanian plucked string instrument (chordophone) belonging to the Baltic box zither family known as the Baltic psaltery, along with the Latvian kokles, Estonian kannel, Finnish kantele, and Russian gusli. The fifth festival is focused on the contemporary expression of playing kanklės, as well as the instrument’s closest neighbours. Both folk artists and professional musicians are set to perform in the events. You can even learn how to play kanklės!

Tuesday, 03 10, 11 pm

Club night: Palms Trax Club “Lizdas”, Nepriklausomybės a. 12

Photo from the archive of Palms Trax

Tuesday, 03 10, 5 pm

The night before Lithuania’s second Independence Day will be dedicated for the club’s most devoted dancers.

A local genius Mario Moretti will perform live, while a Berlin-based British DJ Palms Trax and a few more Lithuanians will provide their finest selections of electronic dance music.

Kaunas State Philharmonic, L. Sapiegos g. 5

Thursday, 03 12, 6:30 pm

Songwriter, poet and musician Domantas Razauskas and multiinstrumentalist Saulius Petreikis first presented their unique programme with a string quartet in 2018. After a series of sold-out shows, the artists decided to release a vinyl record. It’s now time to celebrate the release.

Kaunas Cultural Centre, Kęstučio g. 1

Live: D. Razauskas, S. Petreikis and string quartet

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Live: “Baltos varnos”

Photo from the archive of the band

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Calendar Sisters Milda and Teresė Andrijauskaitės are both singers and musicians. They first started off as a duo; today, the experimental folk-influenced indie band also includes a bass player and a drummer. For this gig, the group is rehearsing new songs, as well as the audience’s favourites.

Thursday, 03 12, 8 pm

Live: “jautì”

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“Sinagoga Studio”, Vaisių g. 30

03 17 – 03 22

The 23rd Edvard Grieg and Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis Music Festival Kaunas State Philharmonic, L. Sapiegos g. 5

Twenty-three years ago, the friendship of Hordaland county in Norway and the city of Kaunas inspired the festival celebrating the legacy of the two most influential composers of both countries. The event invites you to discover the world of classical music and its correlation with contemporary music art.

Friday, 03 20, 7 pm

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Live: Saulius Petreikis

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Kaunas Cultural Centre, Kęstučio g. 1

Photo from the archive of the band

“jautì” is art/math rock band who released their debut EP “Gap Year” and had the first tour in Lithuania by in 2017. A debut album followed in 2019, and this February the band released some new music again. Time to play it in Kaunas.

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Saulius Petreikis has a unique collection of musical instruments from all over the world and uses them to create and perform his own music. His newest album “Sekma ryta”, recorded together with vocalist Vytautė Pupšytė, is based on Lithuanian folk music that used to be transferred from generation to generation. Hear it live in the concert, as well as some of the best pieces by Saulius and his “World Orchestra”.

Friday, 03 20, 10 pm

Club night “Lights Out: Sasha” “Gargaras”, Raudondvario pl. 101

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March Wednesday, 03 22,

Live: “Of the Wand & the Moon” Club “Lemmy”, Girstupio g. 1

Photo from the archive of DJ Sasha

The Welsh DJ and record producer is best known for his live events and electronic music as a solo artist, as well as his collaborations with British DJ John Digweed. While the golden years of progressive house might be already in the past, his talent hasn’t gone anywhere.

“Of the Wand & the Moon” is a neofolk/experimental project of Danish musician Kim Larsen and various guest contributors. The band will be visiting Kaunas for the first time.

Saturday, 03 28, 9 pm

Live: The Ditties “PuntoJazz” attic, Kęstučio g. 6

03 21 – 04 04

International chamber music festival “Avanti” Various locations

Returning for the ninth time, the festival is bringing together yet another approach. This year, the programme focuses on classical brass instruments and the music they perform, written by composers from Lithuania and abroad. The festival will kick off in VMU Great Aula; concerts will also be held in unexpected locations including Kaunas State Puppet Theatre.

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Photo from the archive of the band

Inspired by The Boswell Sisters, The Andrews Sisters, The Dinning Sisters and the likes, The Ditties is the only professional vintage and retro jazz/swing vocal trio in Lithuania.

Saturday, 03 28, 11 pm

Club night: “Isla De Ghia” Club “Lizdas”, Nepriklausomybės a. 12

Mark Knekelhuis is a Dutch electronic music artist who already has a strong following in our country.

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Calendar This time, he’s in town to check on his label’s artist Patricia Kokett, who’s going to deliver a live performance. Hilda, Weevil and Shapoka, all representing “Ghia” community, are also on the lineup.

Sunday, 03 29, 7 pm

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Live: Alina Orlova

Kaunas State Philharmonic, L. Sapiegos g. 5

EXHIBITIONS

Alina Orlova’s folk- and cabaret-tinged acoustic music might remind the listener of such diverse acts as CocoRosie, Cocteau Twins and Anthony and the Johnsons (all being her personal favourites), but it is really much more than just a sum of these influences – mainly because of Alina’s inimitable voice itself. Ten years ago, she released an album “Mutabor” that became cult classics.

It has now been re-released as a vinyl record. Hear it live with special guests on stage.

Exhibition “300 pictures to the ancient novel “Satyricon”

Monday, 03 30, 6 pm

Live: “Duo Doyenne” Kaunas State Philharmonic, L. Sapiegos g. 5

Photo from the archive of the „Dua Doyenne“

Pianist Monika Mašanauskaitė and violinist Michelle Dierx (Belgium/Great Britain) met

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while studying in Scotland and began performing together in 2017. For the occasion of Beethoven Anniversary Year, the duo will perform his The Violin Sonata No. 9, Op. 47. Also on the programme – Prokofiev’s Violin Sonata No. 2.

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01 31 — 03 15

M. Žilinskas art gallery, Nepriklausomybės a. 12

History has not been nice to “Satyricon” which is one of only two novels that we have from Roman times (the other being Apuleius’ “The Golden Ass”). Today it is mostly agreed that “Satyricon” was written

by Petronius – with the title “Arbitae”, a connoisseur of taste, in the years of 63-65 AD. The work, as we have it, consists of fragments from “books” no 14, 15 and 16 – and not always in the correct order. This indicates that the work was probably ten times longer.

The exhibition pictures follow largely the text, which is included but not

March as illustrations in the traditional way, which is more or less copying the existing text. Here most of the collage-elements date from preWW II when human transactions were un-computerised, physical hand-overs. The collages take the story out of Roman times and indicate what could have happened between the fragments.

02 13 – 03 29

Exhibition “Vincentas Vasiliauskas (1895–1989) – a sniper, a shopkeeper, a painter” A. Žmuidzinavičius memorial house, V. Putvinskio g. 64

A self-taught artist Vincentas Vasiliauskas started painting only after he had retired. An older man with primary education had already lived through most of his complex biography, actually had done every job he could, from a shopkeeper, a sniper to a meat chopper, had survived the war and Siberia, had brought up children and grandchildren.

Only after having accumulated the wisdom of experience did the passion for painting burst forth, even though with no artistic education.

The artist’s legacy covers almost 400 works, each one encompassing absolutely complete and meticulously presented worldview.

From 02 20

Exhibition “Geometry of things. The Kaunas interwar in vogue” A. and P. Galaunė house, Vydūno al. 2

The exhibition presents a cross-section of the interwar lifestyle.

Visitors are invited to admire the clothing and accessories of the intelligentsia of the Temporary Capital. Fashion in Kaunas, the cradle of Lithuanian Art Deco, was one of the essential aspects of everyday life and meant a lot not only for women but also for the representatives of “strong sex“. Emancipation, equality, activity are the features that characterize women of the 1920s, especially those in Kaunas, the city that had great aspirations to be equal with the capitals of Western Europe. Characteristic dress silhouettes, hats, casual and festive outfits that belonged to famous ladies Adelė Galaunienė, Marijona Rakauskaitė, Anelė Tūbelytė –Zikarienė, Vanda Daugirdaitė-Sruogienė, Elena Žalinkevičaitė-Petrauskienė is a perfect illustration of the then prevailing fashion in Kaunas. The exhibit also focuses on the beauty industry: soap, perfume, powder, blush, even eyelashes – the attributes of feminine charm.

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02 20 – 03 29

02 22 – 03 28

Kaunas City Museum Kaunas Town Hall department, Rotušės a. 15

Kaunas City Museum Folk Music Branch, L. Zamenhofo g. 12

Inga Linevičiūtė’s exhibition “Obsessions”

Exhibition of folk art “I’m getting married. 1900”

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Linen towel by Genė Šimėnienė.

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Photo by Ona Bričkutė.

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“Obsessions” is a personal exhibition

by Inga Linevičiūtė about a contemporary lifestyle: duties, habits, and (un)pleasures. Handdrawn animations reflect the situations which testify addiction to social networks, identity loss, identification, and power. Using humour and symbolism, the artist interprets and creates stories about the modern person’s prison, i.e. his/her obsessions. The exhibition introduces a series of drawings and animations, exploring the relationship between reality and the virtual world, inspirations, and obsessions. The artist asks what is real and what is not. Is the world created in cyberspace inspiring or more damaging? Is this meaningful?

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In our contemporary culture, a wedding is still considered to be a significant family celebration. How would the preparation for it look like if it were held in 1900? The main differences between modern and traditional wedding can be seen in customs, ceremonies, and the duration of the wedding. The exhibition presents the works of two folk artists from Rokiškis. Romualdas Kaminskas is a woodwork artist who has devoted the last years of his creative work to the production of chests and other functional items (spoons and towel hangers) used in the household. Genė Šimėnienė is a weaver who learned this delicate craft from her mom, also a famous weaver. Her works reveal the traditions of our great-grandparents’ creation, transferred from generation to generation and expressed in subtle national patterns.

March 02 27 – 03 39

Exhibition “The New Concrete City. From Kaunas to Tokyo”

Kaunas City Museum Kaunas Town Hall department, Rotušės a. 15 The exhibition by Gerda Liudvinavičiūtė presents two CELSIUS 273 concrete jewellery collections inspired by the architectural trends of the twentieth century – modernism in Kaunas and metabolism architecture in Tokyo. They combine the emotional memory of society and the quest to give meaning to humanity in the architectural details which create the new concrete city.

mood accompanied by short texts.

“Folklore” stands here as ironic connotation empowering to take a look at ourselves, to laugh a bit at those, who overestimate their self-importance. However, they are really important as lessons for everyone in our constantly racing days.

02 27 – 05 31

Exhibition “Alighted by the fire of Monmartre: Rokiškis manor art collection” M. Žilinskas art gallery, Nepriklausomybės a. 12

02 27 – 03 21

Aušra Vaitkūnienė’s exhibition “Folklore.

4 Seasons” Gallery “Meno parkas”, Rotušės a. 27

Photo from the Rokiškis manor album, the 1930s.

Rokiškis regional museum, RKM-60335.

The exhibition presents artworks connected with the specific theme, person or place. The gallery space is divided into four parts dedicated to separate collections with different image development

M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art, in cooperation with Rokiškis Regional Museum, is presenting an exhibition, where for the very first time the manor valuables stored in Rokiškis and Kaunas are exhibited.

The foundation of the collection was formed by Count Konstanty Tyzenhauz (1786 – 1853), who established a picture gallery and an ornithology cabinet in Pastovys (now Belarusian territory).

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Calendar CINEMA From 03 06

Film “QT8: Quentin Tarantino”

03 19 – 04 02

Vilnius IFF Kino Pavasaris Kaunas cinema centre “Romuva”, Kęstučio g. 62; “Forum Cinemas”, Karaliaus Mindaugo pr. 49

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Kaunas cinema centre “Romuva”, Kęstučio g. 62

Still from “Proxima”

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Still from the movie

From “Reservoir Dogs” to “The Hateful Eight”, actors and collaborators examine the first eight films from acclaimed director/screenwriter Quentin Tarantino.

Saturday, 03 07, 14:00 / 16:00

19th Japanese Film Festival Kaunas cinema centre “Romuva”, Kęstučio g. 62

Two inspiring films from Japan will reach Kaunas this year. “Every Day is a Good Day” (Nichinichi kore jitsu) will invite you to sit back and feel the beauty of the moment and take a look at one of the most mysterious elements of Japanese culture, the tea ceremony. “Dad’s Lunch Box” (Papa no obento wa sekai ichi) by Masakazu Fukatsu tells a colourful story the Japanese bentō culture. Both films will be subtitled in Lithuanian and English.

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The 2020 edition of Vilnius IFF Kino Pavasaris looks to the future(s). The topic invites audiences to come up with their own interpretations for what’s depicted, be they hopeful, melancholy or something in between. These numerous scenarios will be explored in the festival’s future-focused programme. Opening the 25th edition of the largest film festival in Lithuania will be French writer-director Alice Winocour’s “Proxima”. It stars Eva Green as an astronaut preparing for a mission to Mars as she struggles with leaving her young daughter behind.

While the film’s setting may seem extraordinary, the reality of a parent torn between work and domestic obligations provides a relatable emotional through-line.

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March

MORE 03 01 – 03 31

The Month of La Francophonie Various locations

Little Paris, the interwar nickname of Kaunas, isn’t the only thing in common between Lithuania and France. In fact, the friendship between the two countries is very close, and there are a lot of stories to tell, starting much, much earlier than 1930. That’s why March in Kaunas and pretty much the rest of the world is The Month of La Francophonie.

Expect lectures, exhibitions, film screenings, food tastings and other events presenting the culture of France, Canada, Morocco, and other French-speaking countries.

Last autumn, the Contemporary Art Centre in Vilnius announced an open call to participate in a group exhibition. The open call presented an opportunity to reflect upon the needs of the art field along with its community, and to explore new ways of working together. “We would like to make an experiment – to invite anyone and everyone to propose ideas, projects, events and processes,” the curators wrote in the invitation; anything that “seems important, interesting to share or to experience with others.” 300+ artists responded to the call, and half a hundred pieces of art made it to the show.

The exhibition’s video programme is coming to Kaunas.

Wednesday, 03 11

The Restoration of Independence Day Various locations

Friday, 03 06, 7 pm

“Head With Many Thoughts”: video programme Kaunas Artists’ House, V. Putvinskio g. 56

Photo by Kaunas municipality

The Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania or Act of March 11 was an independence declaration by the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic adopted on

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March 11, 1990. The act emphasised restoration and legal continuity of interwar-period Lithuania, which was occupied by the USSR and lost independence in June 1940. It was the first time that an occupied state declared independence from the dissolving Soviet Union.

There are many fantastic ways to celebrate March 11 – we’re confident you won’t be able to miss it if you’re in Kaunas on that day!

Friday, 03 20

Kaunas and Kaunas district

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International Day of Happiness

person’s life, namely, happiness.

This year‘s event, organized by the team of Kaunas 2022, encourages us to look back at the environment in which we live, think about conscious and responsible consumption, and our contribution to nature conservation. The main theme of this year’s festival is Happiness to get along. All communities of neighbourhoods, museums, libraries, schools, business companies, kindergartens, clubs, retirement homes, and others are invited to actively involve into the celebration of International Day of Happiness for a cleaner, greener and more sustainable future.

Wednesday, 03 25, 7 pm

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“INdisTERNET”: “Future of labour”

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Kaunas Artists’ House, V. Putvinskio g. 56

Photo provided by Kaunas 2022

Celebration of happiness all over the world started in 2013. The International Day of Happiness is a celebration initiated by the United Nations, the aim of which is to enhance one of the most important emotions in every

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Photo by the oganisers

“INdisTERNET” is a year-long project organized by Kaunas Artists’ House Culture info

March centre. It is an attempt to publicly problematize the challenges posed by digitization and to research the cultural impact of the internet through unconventional education-entertainment events.

Online artworks will become symbolic points of departure and illustrations for various theoretical analyses. The events will combine contemporary art, post-internet awareness, informal atmosphere, music, discussions, pleasant tastes, online video previews, academic thought and dis.art.

together with the students’ clubs “Hallyu”, “Hashi” and “Wu Wei”.

VMU Asian Week is a one-week-long cycle of events dedicated to East Asian countries – China, Japan and Korea. It is done through the presentation of specific aspects of culture, arts and cuisine. CAS social partners in Lithuania actively participated in the organisation of this event.

03 30 – 04 04

Scandinavian days Various locations

03 30 – 04 03

VMU Asian week Various locations

Photo by the oganisers

Photo by the oganisers

The week is organised by the Centre for Asian Studies (CAS) at Vytautas Magnus University

After saying goodbye to our French and together with our Asian friends, at the beginning of April, we’ll enjoy the second Scandinavian days in Kaunas. Coming from the fields of politics, culture, education and business, our partners in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and Finland have a lot to share. Expect exhibitions, movie screenings, debates and beyond.

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“There’s more than 300 people working [in Žalgirio arena] on game days. Their dedication is what created a base for Žalgiris, which has millions of fans excited for their achievements.”

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Kaunas Artists’ House, V. Putvinskio g. 56

Editorial office:

BC Žalgiris director Paulius Motiejūnas

KAUNAS FULL OF CULTURE Monthly magazine about personalities and events in Kaunas (free of charge)

Authors: Agnė Žiūkaitė, Artūras Bulota, Arvydas Čiukšys, Austėja Banytė, Bernadeta Buzaitė, Donatas Stankevičius, Eglė Šertvyčūtė, Emilija Visockaitė, Julija Račiūnaitė, Justė Vyšniauskaitė, Kotryna Lingienė, Kęstutis Lingys, Kipras Štreimikis, Monika Balčiauskaitė, Paulius Tautvydas Laurinaitis, Rita Dočkuvienė.

Patrons:

KAUNO MIESTO SAVIVALDYBĖ

RUN 100010COPIES. TIRAŽAS 000 EGZ.

K AU N A S F U L L O F CU LT U R E

ISSN 2424-4465

Leidžia: Publisher:

2020 2017 Nr. 3 2 (55) (18)