KAUNAS PHOTO 2021. “Why do I fall in love with Lithuania?”—meeting with Grzegorz Jarmocewicz (Poland)
On September 12, 2021, KAUNAS PHOTO festival held an artist talk and meeting with Grzegorz Jarmocewicz—Polish photographer born near Lithuanian border. The event was held at the Kaunas Cultural Centre of Various Nations where Jarmocewicz’s series “On both sides of the border. Why do I fall in love with Lithuania?” were being exhibited as a part of the 18th KAUNAS PHOTO festival’s programme.
Photos by Karolina Krinickaite.
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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”. The artistic program of this year’s festival is curated by a joint team: Mindaugas Kavaliauskas, Kristina Juraitė, Donatas Stankevičius, Fred Boucher and Karolina Krinickaitė.
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.
Įsibėgėjusiame 18-ajame fotomeno festivalyje KAUNAS PHOTO – lietuviškų akcentų savaitė
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Nušurmuliavus intensyvioms festivalio atidarymo dienoms, šią savaitę KAUNAS PHOTO programoje – lietuviški akcentai. Trečiadienį ir penktadienį bus atidarytos dvi naujos parodos po atviru dangumi – Ado Vasiliausko „Karantino portretai“ ir Elenos Krukonytės „Ankstyvosios Z kartos portretas“, o sekmadienį vyks susitikimai su šiuo metu Lietuvoje reziduojančiu lietuvių kilmės JAV menininku Jonu Kulikausku ir lenkų fotomenininku Grzegorzu Jarmocewicz, sukūrusiu seriją apie lietuvius „Abipus sienos. Kodėl aš įsimylėjau Lietuvą?“, kuri yra rodoma šiųmetinėje festivalio programoje Kauno įvairių tautų kultūrų centre. Renginiai yra nemokami ir atviri visiems.
Kaip ir ankstesniais metais, festivalis KAUNAS PHOTO tradiciškai su lauko paroda keliaus į Žemųjų Šančių mikrorajoną, kur rugsėjo 8 d., trečiadienį, 18.30 val. skvere prie A. Juozapavičiaus pr. 57 bus pristatyta fotografijų serija „Karantino portretai“. Parodos atidaryme dalyvaus iš Vilniaus atvykęs jos autorius, fotografas Adas Vasiliauskas, pirmojo karantino metu 2020 metais sukūręs ir per visą pasaulį nuskambėjęs su šia dronu fotografuota žmonių, pozuojančius savo namų languose bei balkonuose, portretų serija. Po parodos atidarymo vakaras prasitęs netoliese esančioje fotostudijoje „No Name Studio“ (A. Juozapavičiaus pr. 31G), kur nuo 19 val. A. Vasiliauskas papasakos serijos „Karantino portretai“ užkulisius bei pristatys kitus savo projektus.
Rugsėjo 10 d. 17 val. Draugystės parko prieigose (Kovo 11-osios g., prie stotelės „Draugystės parkas“) vilnietė fotografė Elena Krukonytė pristatys ten atidaromą lauko parodą „Ankstyvosios Z kartos portretas“. Šį projektą sukurti autorę įkvėpė jos pačios pamąstymai apie santykį su laiku. Keldama būties klausimą – kodėl aš esu tokia, kokia esu? – ji bando rasti atsakymus, žvelgdama į bendraamžius, kuriuos įamžino jų pačių pasirinktoje vietoje, atskleidžiančioje, kas prisidėjo prie asmenybės formavimo. Nuo 18 val. Kauno Vinco Kudirkos viešosios bibliotekos Parko padalinyje (P. Lukšio g. 60) vyks E. Krukonytės kūrybos pristatymas „Žmogaus santykis su laiku, aplinka ir savimi per fotografiją“, kurio metu autorė plačiau papasakos apie savo kūrybą.
Rugsėjo 12 d., sekmadienį, festivalis KAUNAS PHOTO pakvies į du dienos metu vyksiančius renginius. 12.30 val. Kauno įvairių tautų kultūrų centre, ten pat rodomų fotografijų iš serijos „Abipus sienos. Kodėl aš įsimylėjau Lietuvą?“ apsuptyje, vyks susitikimas su šios serijos autoriumi, netoli Lietuvos sienos gimusiu lenkų fotomenininku Grzegorzu Jarmocewicz.
14 val. Kauno choralinėje sinagogoje (E. Ožeškienės g. 13) vyks susitikimas su lietuvių kilmės JAV fotomenininku Jonu Kulikausku. Menininkas pristatys šiuo metu Lietuvoje vystomą šiuolaikinės fotografijos projektą „Aš Dažnai Pamirštu“, apimantį holokausto, sovietų išniekinimo, nacionalizmo ir diasporos temas. Pritvirtinęs II-ojo pasaulinio karo laikų objektyvą prie naujai pagaminto 8×10 colių fotoaparato, įkrauto juodai baltomis plokštėmis, J.Kulikauskas fotografuoja dabartinį gyvenimą buvusiame Vilniaus gete.
18-ojo festivalio KAUNAS PHOTO parodų programą galima rasti čia, o nuolat pildomą renginių kalendorių – čia. Taip pat festivalio naujienas galima sekti socialiniuse tinkluose „Facebook“ ir „Instagram“: @Kaunas.Photo.
KAUNAS PHOTO – ilgiausiai be pertraukų rengiamas kasmetis tarptautinis fotomeno festivalis Lietuvoje ir Baltijos šalyse. 2004 m. Mindaugo Kavaliausko įkurtą festivalį organizuoja viešoji įstaiga „Šviesos raštas“. Festivalį KAUNAS PHOTO, kaip vieną iš strateginių tarptautinių meno renginių Lietuvoje, finansuoja Lietuvos kultūros taryba.
The 18th international photo art festival KAUNAS PHOTO turns into adulthood and reflects on the theme of age
In 2021, the 18th international photo art festival KAUNAS PHOTO will hold its opening tours on September 2 and 3 with the exhibition openings of fourteen artists from different countries. Both opening days will conclude with an evening programme starting at 20:00 in the BLC “Otto Hall”, featuring a presentation by Chirag Jindal (New Zealand), an artist and topographer working at the intersection of documentary journalism and contemporary cartography, and on 3 September, photography projections of the festival’s competition KAUNAS PHOTO STAR Finalists’ series and a virtual meeting of the Finalists with the audience. The Winner of the KAUNAS PHOTO STAR 2021 Award will be announced at the end of the evening event on 3 September and will receive a cash prize of EUR 2500. The evening programme will be accompanied by musical improvisations of Patris Židelevičius with cello and digital sounds, and pianist Kęstutis Paulaitis. The exact programme of the festival’s opening days can be found at the end of this announcement. The audience is welcome to join at any part of the opening tour. The opening events of KAUNAS PHOTO festival are open to all and free of charge.
Fábio Cunha (Portugal) “The Animal Within”
The programme of the 18th KAUNAS PHOTO festival will focus on the threshold of adulthood, becoming an adult, the pros and cons, stories and feelings of being young, teenager, parent, mid-aged, retired, with or without grandchildren, hobby, job, retirement savings meeting the sunset of life. The exhibitions and events of the festival will be related to general or specific issues of life choices, crisis, joys, traditions, stereotypes, taboos, social norms and the impact of big data society on age groups. The open call to the festival, which received over a hundred proposals, showed that a critical mass of photographers is exploring an aging society, its joys and challenges.
Although traditionally the winner of the festival’s competition KAUNAS PHOTO STAR is announced at the Kaunas Photography Gallery, this year, due to the renovation of Vilnius Street, the gallery was closed, therefore, the works of the finalists of the KAUNAS PHOTO STAR 2021 competition are integrated into the festival’s programme and are shown in the outdoor spaces as well as in the galleries, cultural and art venues of Kaunas.
KAUNAS PHOTO 2021 programme in Kaunas will showcase nine photography exhibitions in indoor venues throughout September. Continuing the tradition of open-air exhibitions started in 2014, this year the festival will present seven outdoor exhibitions, placed in Chechnya Square, Kalniečių and Draugystės parks, A. Juozapavičiaus, V. Putvinskio streets, near Kaunas Castle, Vienybės Square. The festival’s outdoor exhibitions will be on display until the end of October.
The artistic program of this year’s festival is curated by a joint team: Mindaugas Kavaliauskas, Kristina Juraitė, Donatas Stankevičius, Fred Boucher and Karolina Krinickaitė. The festival’s programme will be updated and announced in separate press releases, on the festival’s website and “Facebook” page.
The programme of the opening days of the 18th KAUNAS PHOTO festival:
September 2, Thursday
Exhibition openings:
16:00 Martha Thomas (USA) “Do Not Forget, You Are Not In Lithuania”, Younes Mohammad (Iraq) “Open Wounds” at Kaunas City Museum Folk Music Branch (L. Zamenhofo St. 12): With the presence of the author Martha Thomas (USA).
16:30 Clelia Rochat (Belgium) “Belles Mômes” at Maironis Lithuanian Literature Museum (Rotušės Sq. 13);
17:00 Cristian Geelen (The Netherlands) “Memories of a man once there…” at Kaunas City Museum Kaunas Castle (Pilies St. 17);
17:15 Alain Schroeder (Belgium) “Grandma Divers” near Kaunas Castle (A. Jakšto St.);
17:30 Grzegorz Jarmocewicz (Poland) “On both sides of the border. Why do I fall in love with Lithuania.” at Kaunas Cultural Centre of Various Nations (Šv. Gertrūdos St. 58);
17:45 Magdalena Stengel (Germany) “±100” at Kaunas Municipal Vincas Kudirka Public Library – Department of Youth, Art and Music (A. Mapu St. 18).
KAUNAS PHOTO NIGHT I
From 20:00 at BLC “Otto Hall” (K. Donelaičio St. 60, A-Block, 1st floor):
– Photography projections featuring the series submitted to the KAUNAS PHOTO Open Call on the theme “Age”;
– “Into The Underworld”. Artist talk and meeting with Chirag Jindal (New Zealand), artist and surveyor who works at the intersection of documentary journalism and contemporary cartography;
– Music by Patris Židelevičius—improvisations that combine the sound of classical instruments like the cello, field recordings and digital sounds.
16:30 Michal Solarski & Tomasz Liboska (United Kingdom / Poland) “Cut It Short” at Kaunas Municipal Vincas Kudirka Public Library – Park Branch (P. Lukšio St. 60):;
17:00 Uta Genilke (Germany) “2031” at Kalniečiai park (next to Savanorių Ave.):;
18:00 Rosa Mariniello (Italy) “The Suspended Youth” at KTU III rūmai (Laisvės Ave.);
18:30 Francesco Amorosino (Italy) “The third phase (Paola)” at Žaliakalnis Funicular (V.Putvinskio St. 22);
18.45 Fábio Cunha (Portugal) “The Animal Within” at VMU Multifunctional Center for Studies and Research (V. Putvinskio St. 23);
19.00 Marna Clarke (USA) “Growing Old” at Vienybės Square (next to the stairs leading to the garden of Vytautas the Great War Museum).
KAUNAS PHOTO NIGHT II
From 20:00 at BLC “Otto Hall” (K. Donelaičio St. 60, A-Block, 1st floor):
– Projection of the photographs from the series “Do Not Forget, You Are Not In Lithuania” by Martha Thomas (USA) accompanied by the readings of Daina Klimauskaitė’s memoir of a youth in Siberia. The memoirs will be read by Olita Dautartaitė, Lithuanian theatre and film actress, poetry reader.
– Virtual meeting with the festival’s competition KAUNAS PHOTO STAR 2021 Finalists;
– Photography projections of the KAUNAS PHOTO STAR 2020 Finalists’ series;
– Announcement of the Winner of KAUNAS PHOTO STAR 2021 Award;
– Music by composer, improvising piano virtuoso Kęstutis Paulaitis.
Marna Clarke (USA) “Growing Old”
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.
Informational sponsor: LRT.
Partners: Kaunas Photography Gallery, Kaunas City Museum, Kaunas Municipal Vincas Kudirka Public Library, Kaunas Cultural Centre of Various Nations, Maironis Lithuanian Literature Museum, Vytautas Magnus University, KTU Photo Studio, Diaphane, Białystok Interphoto, BLC – Business Leaders Centre.
