Date
09 June – 30 September, 2023
Language
Lithuanian
The Vilnelė River connects different urban Vilnius settings: post-industrial landscapes targeted by creative communities, soviet housing estates, natural landscapes and the massive new real estate developments. Vilnelė can be interpreted as a metaphor of the city in perpetual change, a connector of different scenarios of future development of neighbourhoods. During the three month-long residencies, three emerging artists with experience in creating participatory artworks for public spaces, together with the residents and communities of Naujoji Vilnia, Paupys and Markučiai districts co-created temporary site-specific installations in public spaces along the banks of Vilnelė river. The installations reflected different scenarios of the past, present and future of the specific district and took the role of local communities as the core issue. They helped to actualise local challenges that the inhabitants identified during the Vilnelė Odissey Symposium and invited local residents to imagine desired future scenarios for their districts. The installations were launched in June 2023 with events fostering the participation of local communities, local administration, real estate developers, artists and experts.
Participating artists
1. Vladas Suncovas, artist, and residents of Paupys District.
2. Aurelija Kniukštaitė, Jonė Virbickaitė, Kotryna Bajorinaitė, architects and residents of Naujoji Vilnia District.
3. KAD collective (Margarita Kaučikaitė and Evelina Vasiliauskaitė, architects) and residents of Markučiai District.
The installations were intended to remain until 30 September, 2023, but became permanent. Local residents voted to keep them for good. They were handed over to the Vilnius City Municipality, which is now taking care of them.
Event Photos
Credit: photographer Gintarė Grigėnaitė
