In 2017, KAUNAS PHOTO festival explored the theme of water and organised a group exhibition “Beach Season”. The three-part exhibition surprised the visitors with spectacular and large-format works and their presentation forms, as well as unexpected twists and turns of the beach scenes. Beach loungers were made especially for the showwith the works of the featured artists, and the closing of the exhibition culminated with a performance “The Closing of the Beach Season” by the AURA Dance Theatre with performers dancing at the exhibition among the loungers.

This Sunday, July 4th, a part of the festival KAUNAS PHOTO—beach loungers with works by Massimo Vitali (Italy), Tadao Cern (Lithuania), Berta Tilmantaitė (Lithuania), Kirill Golovchenko (Ukraine-Germany), Marton Kallai (Hungary), Emily Wabitsch (Germany)—is travelling together with the performance of AURA Dance Theatre to the Open House Vilnius!

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.

4pm Closing event of goup exhibition “Beach season” including performance of Aura Dance Theatre. M. Žilinskas Art Gallery, M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art  (Nepriklausomybės sq. 12). Massimo Vitali (Italy) beach landscapes, Kirill Golovchenko (Ukraine/Germany) “Out of the Blue”, Tadas Černiauskas (Lithuania) “Comfort Zone”, Turi Calafato (Italy) “A Day at the Beach. Summer in Sicily”, Céline Diais (France) “See the Sea”, Marton Kallai (Hungary) “Solotvyno – A Dream about Salt”, Krzysztof Racoñ (Poland) “Zakrzowek”, Berta Tilmantaitė (Lithuania) “Surfing India”, Emily Wabitsch (Germany- Bangladesh) “From Cox’s with Love”, Jashim Salam (Bangladesh) “Life beyond the Ship Graveyard” and François Marmion (France- UK) “Bloody Holiday”.

3.30 pm Guided tour of the exhibition “Beach season”. M. Žilinskas Art Gallery, M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art  (Nepriklausomybės sq. 12). One of the participating artists Krzysztof Racoń (Poland) will be present.

On the 28th of June 4pm KAUNAS PHOTO festival will hold a press conference at the auditorium of M. Žilinskas Art Gallery, M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art. Festival director Mindaugas Kavaliauskas will present this year’s programme that will start on the 1st of September.

Press conference is for media and registered participants only, please RSVP by phoning +37060031722.

The press conference will be streamed online at: facebook.com/Kaunas.Photo

At 5pm a guided tour with the curator will present the inaugural KAUNAS PHOTO exhibition “Beach Season”. The tour is open and free to attend.

Refreshments provided by Aistis Židanavičius (BARMENAS.LT).

On 1st of June, at 6:00 p.m., at the M. Žilinskas Art Gallery, M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art  KAUNAS PHOTO festival opened exhibition – “Beach season”. On display are works by these authors: Massimo Vitali (Italy) beach landscapes, Kirill Golovchenko (Ukraine/Germany) “Out of the Blue”, Tadas Černiauskas (Lithuania) “Comfort Zone”, Turi Calafato (Italy) “A Day at the Beach. Summer in Sicily”, Céline Diais (France) “See the Sea”, Marton Kallai (Hungary) “Solotvyno – A Dream about Salt”, Krzysztof Racoñ (Poland) “Zakrzowek”, Berta Tilmantaitė (Lithuania) “Surfing India”, Emily Wabitsch (Germany- Bangladesh) “From Cox’s with Love”, Jashim Salam (Bangladesh) “Life beyond the Ship Graveyard” and François Marmion (France- UK) “Bloody Holiday”.

Curators Mindaugas Kavaliauskas, Donatas Stankevičius.

Exhibition will be on display until 3 of September.

On 1st of June, Thursday, at 6 PM, at the M. Žilinskas Art Gallery, M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art will be the opening of exhibition “Beach season”.  This exhibition presents different photography series created by eleven authors: Massimo Vitali’s (Italy) beach landscapes, Kirill Golovchenko’s (Ukraine/Germany) “Out of the Blue”, Tadas Černiauskas‘ (Lithuania) “Comfort Zone”, Turi Calafato’s (Italy) “A Day at the Beach. Summer in Sicily”, Céline Diais’ (France) “See the Sea”, Marton Kallai’s (Hungary) “Solotvyno – A Dream about Salt”, Krzysztof Racoñ’s (Poland) “Zakrzowek”, Berta Tilmantaitė’s (Lithuania) “Surfing India”, Emily Wabitsch’s (Germany- Bangladesh) “From Cox’s with Love”, Jashim Salam’s (Bangladesh) “Life beyond the Ship Graveyard” and François Marmion’s (France- UK) “Bloody Holiday”.

Curators of the exhibition: Mindaugas Kavaliauskas, Donatas Stankevičius

Exhibition on display until 3 of September.

International KAUNAS PHOTO festival kicks off it’s 14th edition on the 1st of June. The theme of the festival this year is “Water”. The reception of the introductory exhibition “Beach Season” will take place at the M. Žilinskas Art Gallery, M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art on Thursday, 6pm. The exhibition will continue until the 3rd of September.

„Beach Season“ presents work by eleven international artists: Massimo Vitali’s (Italy) beach landscapes, Kirill Golovchenko’s (Ukraine/Germany) “Out of the Blue”, Tadas Černiauskas‘ (Lithuania) “Comfort Zone”, Turi Calafato’s (Italy) “A Day at the Beach. Summer in Sicily”, Céline Diais’ (France) “See the Sea”, Marton Kallai’s (Hungary) “Solotvyno – A Dream about Salt”, Krzysztof Racoñ’s (Poland) “Zakrzowek”, Berta Tilmantaitė’s (Lithuania) “Surfing India”, Emily Wabitsch’s (Germany- Bangladesh) “From Cox’s with Love”, Jashim Salam’s (Bangladesh) “Life beyond the Ship Graveyard” and François Marmion’s (France- UK) “Bloody Holiday”.

The exhibition will consist of three parts. Large format prints and creative installations will reveal diverse scenarios inspired by subjects of water and beach. Exhibition curator Mindaugas Kavaliauskas says that the architecture of the gallery perfectly conveys the change of mood throughout the exhibition’s three parts: the light one, the transitory and the dark one. The first display presents the beach as we know it: with white sand, blue sea, cheerful holiday-makers. Monumental human landscapes by the Italian master Massimo Vitali, Kirill Golovchenko’s witty beach encounters and conceptual series of Tadas Černiauskas open up colourful holiday moments as one enters the exhibition.

The second space explores the sociology of summer. Here belongs Turi Calafato’s rituals of Sicilian beaches and sun induced laziness. Céline Diais travels through urban beaches in France and observes how our need for leisure transforms cities. Marton Kallai’s series about Ukrainian salt mining town resorts combines joy and leisure with the anticipated environmental disaster. Krzysztof Racoñ tells a story about the artificial Zakrzowek lake, a popular spot with local Polish youth despite it being forbidden to swim in. Due to steep shores and uneven bottom Zakrzowek is known as a dangerous location attracting accidents and suicides.

The third section brings us back to the seaside resorts and shows us the frequently unseen aspects. Berta Tilmantaitė’s series portrays surfers in India and introduces us to the theme of work. These surfers help local fishermen with their daily toil. Emily Wabitsch photographs the beach in Bangladesh that attracts thousands of newlyweds each year. Right next to it Jashim Salam’s series shows us men in Bangladesh dismantling disused boats with their bare hands for a living. The final exhibit is François Marmion’s photographic exploration of the Kos island divided into tourist and refugee zones. Here we observe the Western privilege in the setting of the picturesque resort.

The main events and exhibitions of the 14th KAUNAS PHOTO festival will take place in Kaunas in the first week of September and will continue until mid October.

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: Lithuanian Culture Cuncil, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, Kaunas city council.

Patron of the festival is President Valdas Adamkus.