Sound and image on August 14–15 in the small town of Valkininkai in Dzūkija will become frequencies that unite different art forms, times, spaces, and people at the festival. In this way, the festival organizers will symbolically mark the 100th anniversary of Lithuanian radio.
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The festival no longer fits into a couple of evenings – its main events will be accompanied by a week-long art plein air and creative workshops, to which the residents of Valkininkai and visitors to the town are invited to participate.
A week ago, teachers from the Justinas Vienožinskis Art School in Vilnius arrived in Valkininkai. They explored the town, surroundings, traveled, created, and invited local residents to clay modeling and wall painting workshops.
An unusual guest also appeared in Valkininkai – a sculpture “Visi kauk” by one of the most prominent Lithuanian contemporary artists Donatas Jankauskas-Duonis. The artist’s work, seen recently in public spaces in Vilnius, now attracts passersby’s attention on S. Konarskis Street, near the Justinas Vienožinskis Art School. Valkininkai will become the new territory for “Sukūriai”.
Another festival artwork in the town is expected to stay for a longer time. On the evening of August 14, the painting project “Three Rivers,” created by artist Algis Sprindžiūnas together with local youth on the facade walls of the Valkininkai Cultural Center, will be presented.
That same evening, the Alytus “Green Choir” will perform at the Valkininkai Cultural Center, and after dark, the audience is invited to watch the “Creating Fire” outdoors. The ceramic works of artist Valdas Aničas will be born in the fire right there, in front of the viewers.
On the second day of the festival, “Sūkuriai” will encourage getting to know Valkininkai even better. On the afternoon of August 15, historian Dr. Žygimantas Buržinskas will invite to a tour around the town.
An exhibition “Open Airwaves” will open at the Cultural Center, where works created by teachers of the Justinas Vienožinskis Art School in Vilnius during the plein air and local artists’ creations will meet.
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The list of festival participants includes well-known names in the Lithuanian art scene: Aurelija Maknytė, Donatas Jankauskas-Duonis, Rasa Noreikaitė-Miliūnienė, Gediminas Piekuras, Mykolas Piekuras, Valdas Aničas, Jonas Vaitekūnas, Algis Sprindžiūnas, Rūta and Nerijus Kavaliauskai, Rapolas Kavaliauskas, as well as creators from the Valkininkai region Vida Sevrukienė, Danutė Žukovskienė, Stasys Tolvaiša, and participants of the creative workshops.
Music will also be played at the opening of the “Open Airwaves” exhibition – jazz pianist Agnė Pasaravičienė will perform, accompanied by Tadas Pasaravičius. On Saturday evening, there will be another premiere – the short film “Glowing” about Valkininkai by Mykolas Piekuras will be shown.
The biggest surprise awaits at the end of the festival – the space of the Valkininkai Franciscan Monastery will be opened to the public. Artist Bernadeta Brazdžionytė will hold a culinary performance “Living Frequencies: Sourdough Processes in the Monastery Ruins” here.
An open fire will be created outdoors and breads will be baked. In the artist’s concept, the bread dough will become a kind of receiver, capturing the local history, the heat of the fire, and the community of people gathered in one place.
The festival events will be accompanied by the FM99 radio station airwaves – specially prepared presentations and discussions of events and participants for “Sūkūriai”. All festival events are free of charge.
The “Sūkuriai” festival is organized by the Valkininkai Cultural Center. It is funded by the Lithuanian Council for Culture and the Varėna District Municipality. The informational partner is FM99 radio, partners are the Varėna Cultural Center, the Justinas Vienožinskis Art School in Vilnius, and the Valkininkai Eldership.
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More information HERE.
