PARLIAMENT IN A PUB
The red door leads to the “immigration office,” where visitors can have their passports stamped.
“Užupis is so inspiring I don’t mind working long hours.” TA DAS T R U C I L AU S KAS
58 BLUE WINGS JANUARY 2019
Covering less than one square kilometre, the Independent Republic of Užupis is a bohemian district similar to Freetown Christiania in Copenhagen. Literally meaning “beyond the river,” Užupis is separated from the Old Town of Vilnius by the Vilnele River. Neglected during the Soviet era, the derelict quarter received an imaginative makeover from artistsquatters who covered the façades with street art and declared Užupis a tonguein-cheek republic in 1997. Twenty years later, the micro-republic has its own president, currency, navy (three rowboats at last count), and constitution, which features rare gems of legislation such as: Everyone has the right to love a cat. “And our parliament convenes at Užupio kavine, the riverside pub, every Monday at seven,” shares Trucilauskas. The winding cobblestone streets are lined with trendy bars and boutiques, yet the Lilliput nation has preserved its whimsical charm despite inevitable gentrification. “When I step outside my studio, I’m surrounded by medieval architecture and woodlands. And there’s always something surprising going on. I just saw the Dalai Lama walking down the street. He’s an honorary citizen,” he says.
HYPNOTIC MERMAID Down the hallway from Trucilauskas’ chaotic studio is the considerably tidier workroom of Vilija Kvieskaite, a graphic designer whose current main passion is illustrating children’s books. “After six years of working at a publishing house, I craved more creative freedom. I found it here at the Užupis Art Incubator. Here you can do what you want, and no one judges you,” she says. >