“⦋S⦌MĖLY”

The exhibition “⦋S⦌MĖLY” encodes in its title a metaphorical reference to the blue of the Klaipėda region, contained within the perimeter of a single square of beach sand. The themes explored in the exhibition encompass vast visual horizons, symbolic maritime narratives, and the research and experiments conducted in laboratories and workshops. It represents a symbiosis of art and science, examining the relationship between the environment, the self, climate change, sustainability, concepts of time and space, and the perception of sound and colour. The artistic language chosen by the exhibition’s authors is based on natural forms and objects – amber, sand, reeds, and seaweed. These natural contours not only inspire the artworks but also unify them into a harmonious whole, inviting attention to the constantly changing world. The artworks transform into an educational and interactive form, conveying scientific content and encouraging a new perspective on the relationship between humanity and nature.

 

In Simona Agota Martinkus’ installation “1m²”, the story of glass is told through its states and forms, inviting a meditative journey. From blue glass shards reminiscent of the vanishing tradition of stained glass, to the cyanotype technique capturing the light imprints of Klaipėda’s stained glass on a sand carpet – each element conveys a sense of temporality and the fragility of existence. The sandbox symbolizing childhood and the Lithuanian educational-entertainment TV show for children “Gustavo enciklopedija” (en. Gustavas’ Encyclopedia), displayed on the screen merge memories with inspiration. The installation is further enriched by experiments in art therapy with glass shards and the artist’s unique jewellery, honouring the beauty of lost stained glass.

 

Vytautas Juozėnas’ installation “Easily” invites viewers into a world of uncertainty. A meadow of reeds, endlessly spinning super symmetrical forms, becomes a hypnotic blend of kinetic art and mathematical formulas. In this work, the synthesis of physics and art not only highlights Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle but also offers the viewer a chance to immerse in the gravity of singularity. Every movement of the reed is like a dance between theory and illusion, allowing one to feel the intangible connection between sound, light, and motion, which resonates with the exhibition’s central idea.

 

Linas Kutavičius’ piece “Amberscope” invites one to gaze into nature’s created archive of history. This analog light installation is a window to the past, opening up the inner world of Baltic amber, which holds millions of years of memory. Using specially designed instruments, the artist conveys the warmth, visual depth, and natural structure of amber. The amber lens system transforms sunlight into a perfectly accurate image, free from the distortions typical of modern technology.

 

Arūnė Baronaitė’s photo-video installation “Without Content” invites us to transcend the boundaries of “boxed” thinking and look at the world from a different angle. Here, nature becomes not only the main protagonist of the work but also the storyteller, expressing itself through sustainable photography – without traditional chemicals, using plant-based reagents from endangered Baltic Sea brown algae. Studies of the forest, sea, wind, and earth merge into a detoxifying journey, where nature itself creates and shapes the image.

 

Participating artists: Linas Kutavičius, Arūnė Baronaitė, Vytautas Juozėnas, Simona Agota Martinkus.

Curator of the exhibition: Simona Agota Martinkus.