ON THE PULSATING LIFE OF THE END OF THE 20TH CENTURY: EXHIBITION “BOHEMIA OF KLAIPĖDA”

An exhibition “Bohemia of Klaipėda. From the Archives”, author of the project – Sondra Simana, architect of the exposition – Gerda Antanaitytė, will be opened at the KCCC Exhibition Hall (Didžioji Vandens str. 2, Klaipėda) on the 20th of June, 2020, Saturday, at 8 PM. During the opening, the frenzy with the heroes of that time will take place.

The historical-artistic exhibition, formed according to the material of research “Bohema of Klaipėda 1985 – 2000”, exhibits photographs, objects and their stories, posters, video recordings of cultural events, audio recordings of the music groups of Klaipėda and etc. taken from personal archives and website epaveldas.lt and tells the story about the atmosphere of Klaipėda city at the end of the 20th century and the informal movements, which took place here.

According to the author of the project, the exhibit does not aim to become omniscient, but a certain summarising metaphorical level was intuitively sought. The topic is presented through the places of gathering of the artists of that time: “Fanierka”, “Partenkė”, “Mansarda”, “Gliuknamis”, Darželis”, “Senoji Prieplauka”, galleries “Pėda”, Barotti and “Bohemia”, bars “Pupelė”, “Teatrabaris”, “Centras”, “Paštelis”, “Fotogalerija”, the hotspot – bar “Bohemia” together with its charismatic owner Stefutė and others. Back then there was no internet, no mobile phones, but everyone knew about everything, because they would travel from one place to another, drink coffee or something stronger, philosophise, play chess, dance, make love and hope that soon they will become the rich people of a free country.

“To some the word “bohemia” sounds as freedom, breaching of the norms, intellectuality and artistry and to others – a black night of drunkenness and narcomania. To me it’s the boldness of a human to create, be authentic, maladjusted – one, who, by the end of the Soviet period and at the dawn of freedom, would look for those similar to him/her, would not fit in with the mass of their own. That is why this exhibition does not limit itself to the presentation of the frontage of the elite bohemia of Klaipėda, but tries to cover the pulsating life of that time, which I followed as if a blind man would follow the words of others: “Daiva says: “Sigis lived in Gliuknamis”; Sigis says: “Music was everything then”; Ančeris says: “Prognozė” and “Hidromasažas”; Žižys says: “Fanierkė” and “Bagdutis”; Rastauskas says: “The lost generation”; Andželika says: “Rebellion of things”; Stefutė says: “Everything would appear from nothing”; Niekas says: “Sondra, you will write a novel, which shall be called “Senoji prieplauka”; “Senoji prieplauka” says: “I was a chance of Klaipėda for artists to have a home” and… this tale still has no end. The archive of bohemia of Klaipėda will continue to be kept as long as the people send photographs and wish to communicate”, – Sondra Simana introduces the project.

The gathering the materials for the exhibition “Bohemia of Klaipėda”, the author recorded over one hundred hours of memoirs and collected around 1000 photographs from 52 personal archives. A map was drawn especially for the exhibition, which will allow to walk around the city and search for historical gathering points of the artists of Klaipėda, a few of which – bar “Centras” and the Baroti gallery – have survived to our days. During the presentation of the exhibition, an event full of frenzy with the representatives of bohemia of Klaipėda of that period will take place.

The program of the opening of the exhibition BOHEMIA OF KLAIPĖDA

At 8 PM on the 20/06/2020

At the exhibition hall

  • Opening of the bar “Bohema”
  • Benas Šarka – theatre troupe Gliukai
  • A feminist replica “D-efektas”
  • Portfolio of Remigijus Treigys of Doooooris
  • Exhibition – sales of the guitar of Vilius Ančeris “Fender Stratocaster” (USA).
  • Sales spot: archive posters and everything else from THERE.

At the yard of the exhibition hall

  • Adomas Stancikas special program
  • DISKO_TEKA: MC Gienrik (Fanierkė, Pas Albertą, Senoji Prieplauka), Der Commissar (Fanierkė), DJ Crembo (Senoji Prieplauka), DJ Vladas (Kultūrkė) and the whole 90’s M.

Sponsors of research of “Bohemia of Klapėda 1985 – 2000” and the exhibition: Klaipėda City Municipality, Saulius Jokužys Publishing – Printing, photographer Artūras Šeštokas.

The exhibition will be opened until the 19th of July, 2020.

KCCC Exhibition hall (Didžioji Vandens g. 2, Klaipėda) working hours: Wednesday – Sunday 11 AM -7 PM (closed on public holidays).

The visitors are advised to follow the personal safety requirements: wear protective masks or other face protection. Safe physical distance and hand hygiene must be maintained.

The event will be photographed and filmed, therefore, we would like to inform that the visitors may be seen in the pictures and video recordings from the event, and that these photographs and video recordings may be made public on social media or the press.