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2022 m. gruodžio 21 d., trečiadienį, 18 val. Vienybės aikštėje Kaune (prie K. Donelaičio g. 60) vyks turas „Pokalbiai apie Kauno Mitinio Žvėries buveines su… Liudu Mažyliu“ po parodą „Mitinio Žvėries buveinės Kauno modernizmo fotografiniuose pjūviuose“. Jį ves Vasario 16-osios Akto originalo atradėjas, Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto garbės profesorius, Europos Parlamento narys Liudas Mažylis. Tarp parodoje atvaizduotų Kauno modernistinių pastatų yra ir L. Mažylio vaikystės namas. Pokalbių metu sulauksime įdomių įžvalgų ir naujų eksponatų reikšmių. Renginys yra nemokamas ir atviras visai visuomenei, todėl kviečiame atvykti su šeima, draugėmis ir draugais.

Liudas Mažylis (g. 1954 m. gegužės 19 d. Kaune) – Europos Parlamento narys, Lietuvos politikos ir visuomenės veikėjas, mokslininkas, Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto (VDU) profesorius, Vasario 16-osios Lietuvos Nepriklausomybės Akto originalo atradėjas.

„Kaunas – mano gimtasis miestas, kiekviena gatvė čia puikiai žinoma: nuo vaikystės bėgiota, važiuota dviračiu, vaikščiota. Betgi kiek paslapčių tūno paslaptinguose Kauno rūsiuose! Džiugių ir tragiškų istorijų… Patys pastatai atspindi ir itin svarbius politinius, kultūrinius, socialinius, ekonominius Kauno miesto aspektus“, – teigia kaunietis prof. L. Mažylis.

Profesorius taip pat pasidalins asmeniniais pasakojimais ir apie kito profesoriaus, savo senelio prof. Prano Mažylio ligoninę-gimdymo namus bei ten glūdinčius tikrus istorinius ir gyvenimiškus įvykius. „Kviečiu kartu „pasivaikščioti“ po Kauno požemius, pabendrauti apie ten vykusį gyvenimą, kuris atvedė iki Europos šiuolaikinės kultūros sostinės. O Kaunas juk išties visada buvo ir yra labai svarbus miestas tiek Lietuvai, tiek visai Europai. Apie tai – pokalbiuose gyvai“, – į renginį kviečia profesorius. Tarp parodos-instaliacijos eksponatų yra ir daugiau L. Mažyliui asmeniškai įdomių pastatų. „,Man kaip filatelistui vienas unikalesnių Kauno modernistinių pastatų – tai Kauno centrinis paštas, o pasakojimų turo metu susirinkusiems atskleisiu ir daugiau detalių apie visus statinius“, – pasakoja prof. L. Mažylis.

Europos Parlamento narys taip pat džiaugiasi, kad prieš gražiausias metų šventes jis turės progą dar kartą susitikti su kauniečiais ir miesto svečiais. „Dėkoju organizatoriams už kvietimą vesti pokalbių turą po Kauno Mitinio Žvėries buveines. Tai unikali proga „pasivaikščioti“ po Kauno rūsius kitaip, – teigia L. Mažylis. – O dar ir labai gražus Advento laikotarpis, labai gera bus susitikti su renginio dalyviais savo gimtajame Kaune. Po įtemptų šiemetinių darbų Europos Parlamente, tokių progų pasitaiko ne taip ir dažnai. Tad visų maloniai lauksiu“.

KAUNAS PHOTO paroda-instaliacija „Mitinio žvėries buveinės Kauno modernizmo fotografiniuose pjūviuose“ yra „Kaunas – Europos kultūros sostinė 2022“ programos dalis.

Fotomeno festivalis KAUNAS PHOTO 2021 m. surengė meninę rezidenciją, kurios metu menininkas iš Naujosios Zelandijos Chirag Jindal žvelgė giliau į Kauno modernizmo ikoninius pastatus, į vieną atvaizdą sutalpindamas tiek jų matomąją dalį, tiek ir požemius.

Pasak idėjos autoriaus ir projekto meno vadovo Mindaugo Kavaliausko, paslaptimi išliks menininko kūrybinis metodas, tačiau kūriniai praskleidžia paslapties skraistę į tai, ko kauniečiai ir miesto svečiai, ko gero, niekada nepamatytų – požemius, ir jų lokaliai globalias istorijas, kuriuose galimai nuo seno slėpėsi mitinis Kauno žvėris.

Paroda rodoma iki sausio 8 d. Vienybės aikštėje po atviru dangumi ištisą parą ir yra skirta žiūrėti tamsos valandomis.

Iliustracija – Gintarės Žaltauskaitės nuotrauka.

Organizatoriai: KAUNAS 2022, VšĮ „Šviesos raštas“
Partneriai: Northpoint.lt, EPSON.

Moments from the exhibitions and opening events of the 18th international photo art festival KAUNAS PHOTO. To see the Part I of the photo album — click here.

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KAUNAS PHOTO is the longest running annual international photo art festival in Lithuania and the Baltic States. The festival founded by Mindaugas Kavaliauskas in 2004 is organized by the public institution “Šviesos raštas”. KAUNAS PHOTO is funded by the Lithuanian Council for Culture as one of the strategic international art events in Lithuania.

On 2 and 3 September 2021, the 18th international photo art festival KAUNAS PHOTO opened exhibitions in nine indoor venues and five open-air public spaces in Kaunas featuring fourteen authors from all over the world: “Do Not Forget, You Are Not In Lithuania” by Martha Thomas (USA) and “Open Wounds” by Younes Mohammad (Iraq) at the Kaunas City Museum Folk Music Branch, in presence of the author Martha Thomas (USA), “Belles Mômes” by Clelia Rochat (Belgium) at the Maironis Lithuanian Literature Museum, “Memories of a man once there…” by Cristian Geelen (The Netherlands) at the Kaunas City Museum Kaunas Castle, “Grandma Divers” by Alain Schroeder (Belgium) at an open-air space near the Kaunas Castle, “On both sides of the border. Why do I fall in love with Lithuania?” by Grzegorz Jarmocewicz (Poland) at the Kaunas Cultural Centre of Various Nations, “±100” by Magdalena Stengel (Germany) at the Kaunas Municipal Vincas Kudirka Public Library – Department of Youth, Art and Music, “RENDEZ-VOUS” by Caroline Minjolle (Switzerland) at the Chechnya Square, “Cut It Short” by Michal Solarski & Tomasz Liboska (United Kingdom / Poland) at the Kaunas Municipal Vincas Kudirka Public Library – Park Branch, “2031” by Uta Genilke (Germany) at the Kalniečiai park, “The Suspended Youth” by Rosa Mariniello (Italy) at the KTU III Chamber, “The third phase (Paola)” by Francesco Amorosino (Italy) at the foot of  Žaliakalnis Funicular (this exhibition has been relocated to the Square near A. Juozapavičiaus Ave. 57 due to city’s works), “The Animal Within” by Fábio Cunha (Portugal) at VMU Multifunctional Center for Studies and Research and “Growing Old” by Marna Clarke (USA) at the Vienybės Square.

The evening programme at BLC “Otto” hall on September 2nd featured projections of the series submitted to the festival’s open call on the theme “Age” and a presentation by Chirag Jindal (New Zealand), an artist and topographer working at the intersection of documentary journalism and contemporary cartography. On September 3rd—a screening of the photographs from the series “Do Not Forget, You Are Not In Lithuania” by Martha Thomas (USA), accompanied by the readings of her aunt’s Daina Klimauskaitė’s memoirs of the youth spent in deportation in Siberia. The memoirs were interpreted by the Lithuanian theatre and cinema actress Olita Dautartaitė, in presence of Daina Klimauskaitė herself and the author Martha Thomas, who was currently visiting Lithuania. The evening continued with the screening of the festival’s competition KAUNAS PHOTO STAR Finalists’ series, many of the finalists greeted the audience via video conference call, and the evening culminated with the announcement of the Winner of the KAUNAS PHOTO STAR 2021 Award—Marna Clarke (USA) with her series “Growing Old”.

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KAUNAS PHOTO is the longest running annual international photo art festival in Lithuania and the Baltic States. The festival founded by Mindaugas Kavaliauskas in 2004 is organized by the public institution “Šviesos raštas”. KAUNAS PHOTO is funded by the Lithuanian Council for Culture as one of the strategic international art events in Lithuania.

On 7th of October, Lithuanian Zoo Garden celebrated the World Wildlife Day. This is why KAUNAS PHOTO festival presented exhibition “Migration” by Anup Shah (UK) for the visitors. Exhibition at the Lithuanian Zoo Garden on display till 31st of October.

On 10th of September, at Multi-functional Study and Science center of Vytautas Magnus University, the exhibition of the artist’s residency results of KAUNAS PHOTO Festival was opened. The exhibition of the Brazilka photography series were created by Italian photographer Emanuela Colombo in Kaunas. The exhibition is open until 31st of October.

Recently, the Brazilka district is changing very rapidly: new, modern or luxury apartments are replacing old buildings and apartments. Along with the changing urban landscape, the inhabitants and the new generation in the old part of Kaunas district the vitality of Brazilka myth began to fade. Thus, the Italian artist Emanuela Colombo, at the KAUNAS PHOTO Residence, documented this part of Žaliakalnis: Jonava, Varniai, Žemaičių streets and Savanorių prospect. The artist captured romantic images, portraits of the inhabitants or unexpected contrasts on everyday streets. In collaboration with the local people, Emanuela Colombo created remarkable shots that documented and evoked the remaining fragments of Brazilka, reminding us of the history of the city and the constantly changing surroundings.

Throughout September, until 13th of October, the KAUNAS PHOTO Festival will delight with exhibition tours as well as meetings with the artists and guests on the photograph projection nights. A comprehensive program of festival events is available on the KAUNAS PHOTO website >>

Major sponsors: Lithuanian Council for Culture, Kaunas City Municipality. Sponsors: EPSON, Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden. Exhibition partner: Vytautas Magnus University.

On 16 of November, Thursday, at 6pm, at Taras Shevchenko National Museum KAUNAS PHOTO festival in collaboration with Embassy of Lithuania in Kiev, Ukraine opens the exhibition “Olegas Truchanas the legend of Lithuania and Australia”. The exhibition includes descriptions of Olegas Truchanas life and his creation, also short videos. Everything is presented in Ukrainian language. Exhibition will be opened by director of KAUNAS PHOTO festival Mindaugas Kavaliauskas, ambassador of Embassy of Lithuania in Ukraine Marius Janukonis and ambassador of Embassy of Australia in Ukraine Melissa O’Rourke. The exhibition on display till 3 of December.

Olegas Truchanas, the most famous Lithuanian – Australian, was born in Šiauliai in 1923 and died in 1972 during the photographic expedition in Tasmania. He moved to Australia after the Second World War and then settled in Tasmania. His passion for traveling and exploring extended into his photographic practice, which he then used to educate and raise ecological awareness. Whilst still in Lithuania, Olegas learned to care and look after every part of nature, however in Australia at the time nature was seen as a resource to be used. His day job was at a company building hydroelectric power plants, however he dedicated all of his spare time for the care and conservation of Tasmanian landscape, at least through photography. His job didn’t allow him to publicly speak out against the hydroelectric power plants and the effect it has on the landscape. However Olegas Truchanas travelled around the country organizing events, where he would project his photographic slides accompanied by dramatic music, and these were attended by thousands of people. The legend was born.

Mindaugas Kavaliauskas emphasizes that the Olegas Truchanas story is unique, because stunning nature photographs started a powerful community movement, that changed the public view on ecology and conservation, set up nature reserves, and even influenced the change of political powers in Tasmania.

He was a true person of nature: loving nature and exploring it. Just because of him I had a chance to know a beautiful nature of Tasmania. I am sure that the works made by Olegas Truchanas in Tasmania will remain as valuable material and expensive present for Australia. I am very happy that you made an initiative to present him, because people like him are so rarely in this world. He deserves our respect and we just can thank that he lived…”, – told the president of Lithuania Republic Valdas Adamkus who met Olegas Truchanas during his trip in Australia in 1964.

Consultant of exhibition Jonas Nekrašius (Šiauliai), Dr. Doug Spowart (Brisbane-Hobart), texts by Prof. Kristina Juraitė and Jonas Nekrašius, exhibition scenography by Mindaugas Kavaliauskas. Photography from archive of Truchanas family (© Melva Truchanas). Texts translations to Ukrainian language by Renata Kanarska (Kiev).

KAUNAS PHOTO is the longest – running annual photography festival in Lithuania and the Baltic States. It has been a festival of premières for future stars of photography since its launch in 2004. KAUNAS PHOTO festival is a platform for dialogue around contemporary photographic creation between North and South, East and West. Next to the exhibition in Kaunas the festival organize exhibition in other Lithuanian cities and abroad. Since 2005, Kaunas-Photo-curated shows visited Finland, Poland, Italy, France, China, and New Zealand.

Organizers: KAUNAS PHOTO festival, Taras Shevchenko National Museum, Embassy of Lithuania in Ukraine, Embassy of Australia in Ukraine.

Sponsors – Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, the Lithuanian Council for Culture, Lithuanian Culture Institute.

On the 26^th of September, Tuesday, 6pm KAUNAS PHOTO festival invites to the Lithuanian Educational History Museum (Vytauto pr. 52), where the famous photographer Gideon Mendel (Republic of South Africa/ UK) will give an artist talk and present his exhibition and moving image project the Drowning World.

Just a few weeks ago  Gideon Mendel photographed the floods in Texas, and is now coming to Kaunas. He will introduce his exhibition Drowning World, shown in Lithuanian Educational History Museum, as well as present the 40min video project of the same name, and will share his latest photographs from the flooded USA. Both in his photographs and moving image works the artist explores the personal impact of the climate change in the global context.

The series Drowning World was started in 2007, when Gideon Mendel photographed two floods only a few weeks apart from each other: one was in United Kingdom, another one in India. He was deeply shaken to discover how contrasting the impact was on the people affected by floods in these two countries, and also how this experience united people through their vulnerability. From then on the photographer is visiting different locations around the world affected by floods. He travelled to Haiti (2008), Pakistan (2010), Australia (2011), Thailand (2011), Nigeria (2012), Germany (2013), Philippines (2013), UK (2014), India (2014), Brazil (2015), Bangladesh (2015) and USA (2015). Drowning World series was nominated for the prestigious Prix Pictet award. This body of work is a personal response to climate change.

The Submerged Portraits are at the heart of the Drowning World project. Gideon Mendel’s subjects often invite him back to their homes, and to get there they travel together through deep floodwaters. In these dystopian and disconcertingly abnormal environments, photographer try to make the moment when he presses the shutter calm and connected as he engages with his subjects. Gideon Mendel’s intent is for their gaze to challenge the viewer and be part of a shared portrait of humanity in crisis in the face of natural disorder- a disorder that humankind has played a role in precipitating.

Gideon Mendel is a photographer from South Africa. His work engages with contemporary social issues of global concern. His intimate style of committed image making, and long-term commitment to projects has earned him acclaim.

Gideon Mendel has a career spanning over 30 years. Originally from South Africa, he is currently based in London. It was his work as a ‘struggle photographer’ during the final years of apartheid that first brought attention to his work.

Gideon Mendel has worked for National Geographic, Fortune, Geo, The Independent magazine, The Guardian Weekend magazine, The Sunday Times magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, L’Express, Stern and Rolling Stone.

KAUNAS PHOTO is the longest- running annual photography festival in Lithuania and the Baltic States. It is organised by the NGO „Šviesos raštas“ since 2004. KAUNAS PHOTO is one of the most important annual art events in the country. KAUNAS PHOTO is a member of „Festival Of Light“ organisation.

Main sponsors: Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, Lithuanian Culture Council, Kaunas city council.

Patron of the festival is President Valdas Adamkus.

On 7 of September, at Presidential library – museum of Valdas Adamkus (S. Daukanto str. 25) KAUNAS PHOTO festival opened an exhibition by Olegas Truchanas – legend of Lithuania and Australia and at Kaunas Artists’ House (V. Putvinskio str. 56) another exhibition “Sauna Folk” by Jussi Puikkonen (Finland).

On 3rd of September, Sunday, KAUNAS PHOTO festival and Kaunas Dance Theatre AURA waved goodbye to the summer during the closing of Beach season exhibition. The event took place at Mykolas Žilinskas Art Gallery, at the National M. K. Čiurlionis Art Museum.