Childhood
Illustration by Toma Šilinaitė
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Kids from all over the world will travel to Kaunas to participate in the International Children’s Games from July 4th to 9th. Meet the mascot! / Photo by ICG2017
Our back cover pays respect to Marija Kuraitytė-Varnienė, an educator from the Interwar period who stirred up the minds of many people that strongly believed they knew how to properly raise children of their own and of others. She later moved from Kaunas to the USA and successfully continued her career. We got acquainted with the biography of this ahead-ofher-time teacher at the Lithuanian Education History Museum, the façade of which is decorated with an elephant. One of the two Kaunas keeps, we think.
Children can do anything M. Kuraitytė-Varnienė often stated that adults shouldn’t command children, we should also create conditions for them that are the same to the ones we create for ourselves: “Only then a harmonious communication between a child and a grownup can be achieved”. We’ve prepared this childhood edition while thinking about her words. By the way, you can hear her insights in the newest Kaunas excursion hit “Riboženkliai” which we have reviewed on our webpage. We looked for heroes that feel what should be done instead of knowing
it. People that simply could not exist without doing what they do. A young dad that’s establishing tattoo trends at day care centres, a football coach who’s been to half of the world’s corners, a curator of the Kaunas 2022 programme who works with the future, an actual youngster – these are the heroes. Don’t miss the reports on spending the summer in interesting classes or about the way Kaunas museums are presenting their content to younger audiences. Children can do anything right up until the moment when they decide not to be children anymore.
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We had been considering having more kids-related features in summer editions for some time, then the city council announced a unique programme featuring most of cultural, sport and informal education institutions of Kaunas. Yes, some professionals had to change their holiday plans or postpone them, but seeing some of over 200 (!) classes made us realise that no one really minds it. Spending time with children and teaching them things you care about feels great for the mentors themselves. Besides, this was good advertising as we hope many young Kaunasians will keep on being involved in these activities once the school year starts.
The summer of children By Gunars BakĹĄejevs Illustrations by Simona VisockytÄ—
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“As a Kaunas resident, I want kids here to have as many advantages as possible since the modern world has competition for job placements already taking place at school. Today, 90% of Lithuanian schools are able to teach exact and natural sciences only at a theoretical level, while the educational programme for such disciplines is terrible. We give pupils the chance to study science in a practical way – chemistry, physics, biology. Older schoolchildren not only use
professional equipment but also start their path as scientists much earlier”, notes Vladimir Orlov, who began organising educational classes at the VII Fort in 2012. Mathematics of diamonds and molecular gastronomy are the most popular educational programmes among the 38 existing ones here. V. Orlov smiles and comments on the latter programme: “It’s probably that popular because you can eat the results”.
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From folklore to electronic music and percussion, from theatre to journalism – tens of different opportunities to spend quality time during the holidays occur at the chamber of leisure for children and schoolchildren, which was actually designed almost a hundred years ago by none other than the cult architect Edmundas Alfonsas Frykas; the building was then given to Neo Lithuania, a national corporation for students.
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It’s interesting to sit with an experienced music producer in a cool basement studio on a hot summer day, discussing how your favourite musical pieces are born. So is going to the third floor, digging into piles of various cuttings and constructing a fashionable piece of clothing for yourself or for a friend’s doll.
A. Martinaitis Art School is where many young Kaunasians go to start their artistic career. The most colourful summer of all sounds like this: painting, graphic arts, ceramics, moulding, classes on composition and computer graphics, Old Town excursions, visiting galleries.
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Always dynamic and youthful, Kaunas’ own dance theatre Aura invited kids aged 8-12 to a camp at the beginning of June; Birutė Letukaitė, founder of the theatre, gave some classes herself together with the dancers. So, if you noticed children dancing in the fields near the Kaunas Castle, you might have stumbled upon global future stars of contemporary dance.
Last edition had us chatting about the boats in the Kaunas Lagoon and the Olympic chances that come with, while this time we’re in search for such hopes at the sports school Gaja. Who wouldn’t enjoy representing Lithuania so courageously like pros of pentathlon like Loreta Asadauskaitė or Justinas Kinderis? You can always start with fencing.
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The best time to be young is now
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This May saw the Kaunas 2022 team, along with the business internships department at Vytautas Magnus University, say goodbye to the first graduates of the “Kauno iššūkis” [“Kaunas challenge”] programme who worked on the cultural, social and entrepreneurial tasks they were assigned. Vaida Venckutė, curating the youth platform “Kylantis Kaunas” [“Kaunas rising”] of the Kaunas 2022 project, speaks of the challenges, “Cakes” and new opportunities for new generations. Growing up in Žaliakalnis, Vaida still has eyes for her city whilst riding her bike everywhere: “Kaunas is a compact place in terms of movement yet limitless for its creativity”.
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By Edvinas Grin Photos by Artūras Bulota
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We’ll talk about your youth platform in a minute, but who or what led you here? What’s your baggage? I come from the cultural field, having studied culture management. Diverse projects have always fascinated me and I used to migrate between different areas of art. However, I always felt a strong connection to education and have tried to link it to culture for years. I’ve also studied in Vilnius to get my educator’s degree, and then became part of a big project at the Ministry of
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Education and Science, where I missed culture and creativity, whereas working in the cultural field made me feel as if I lacked educational skills. Now, I come across more and more projects which connect these two things and that’s exactly why I joined the team to create a special initiative for youngsters that would be both cultural and educational. I finally found a place where these two fields intertwine and thus gain more meaning together.
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we have teenagers aged 15-19, so they’ll be 20-24 when Kaunas becomes the capital of culture in 2022. Those people will then be the main creative working force of the city, productive professionals who’ve already finished their studies. We want to tackle the challenge of making them interested, involved and caring right at this very moment. You hear stuff like “the future of Lithuania is in the hands of the youth”, but the present should not at all be eliminated from the picture – young people are a valuable part of the society and our current work should ensure a better future for all of us. Therefore, we need schoolchildren to feel welcome in their own city so they would love creating, working and having fun here – this is why our model is unique. I’m constantly discussing the experiences of “Kauno iššūkis” with the graduates who tell us that it was the first time someone asked for their opinion and made the feel valuable. They were able to have an impact on different processes, able to create and choose a path or an activity that motivates them. Another goal of ours is making culture more attractive – youngsters typically see this field as a troublesome, closed sector that’s always having too much financial difficulties. We want to let them experience everything now and to gradually, slowly see what’s it all about, to try themselves out so that they could decide on what to do later and engage in any long-lasting projects.
What are your hopes for this enormous challenge? Research points to the number of Kaunas residents decreasing and young folks being the most shrinking audience. The latter ones actually state that there is a lack of attractive cultural services as nearly every organiser firmly believes to have broken the code of what youngsters like. Our team wants to flip this system over and let younger people take the helm of creating the activities by allowing them to work beside us. This is the logic: now
The first graduates finished in May, they now have the option to work with Kaunas 2022 voluntarily and keep helping the cultural life. Are they doing that and if so, what are the results so far? It’s a kind of “pilot” project – we’ve created it to test whether the methods we came up with actually work. 38 schoolchildren took part, and did they feel absolutely engaged? Well, partially. These things need time as most youngsters are hyperactive with a thousand
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How would you introduce “Kauno iššūkis” to a person who’s not acquainted with it? It’s a unique opportunity for a young person to hone particular skills and get the knowledge that you’d never get sitting at a desk in school. With all due respect to the education system, the information kids are given at school doesn’t prepare them for an independent modern life. The aim of our programme is to help youngsters improve in the areas of personal development, teamwork, creative ventures, entrepreneurship. While they’re still in school and while a crippling crisis of identity and choices after graduating is looming over them, we want those pupils to get enough theoretical and practical knowledge in order to start looking for a role they could one day be playing in the society. We call it a unique educational experience for schoolchildren because it’s not supposed to be a shortterm class with limited goals but rather a regenerating system. Pupils get a series of training sessions and practical tasks to test themselves before they’re able to start generating content for the Kaunas 2022 programme. We’ve decided that this part of the project would be the most open and encouraging one since we’ll give participants the tools to create a programme that they themselves would enjoy, whilst also understanding how their actions will affect the city’s cultural life and the actual community they’re a part of.
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tasks at hand and their heads working in ways that are quite different from, for instance, mine. They possess impetuous energy that needs to be controlled and this requires a systematic approach. However, they’re very happy with the results overall: they loved being part of the training and getting to know the Kaunas 2022 apparatus from the inside. To give you an idea, four practical challenges witnessed them using the knowledge obtained during the special training sessions with the tasks being truly relevant and enjoyable. They respected this being a tangible thing and not a hypothetical assignment where the organisers would come up with unpractical, imaginary activities. Seeing what could be done with a part of the city they know very well inspired them to express their opinions and make lots of decisions. It was a great experiment that included pitching various ideas, providing suggestions for particular companies or institutions. The cultural field was interconnected with the business and education sector, all thanks to the work of these pupils. What were the practical challenges you’ve mentioned and what kind of suggestions did you get from the participants? One of the problems was the situation of the Kaunas City Museum; at that point it was being reorganised, in search of a new director. The task was to analyse this case and find ways to make this place attractive to young audiences. The museum actually received a lot of ideas, most of which were education-related, with some critique on existing content. It’s interesting that the pupils noted this place wasn’t fully suitable for disabled people – a representative of the institution was surprised to see that many concrete and relevant points. Our graduates felt the exhibits could be presented in a more interactive, creative way but those who have visited the museum compliment-
ed the guides who give tours. Most of the youngsters have never set foot there. Another challenge was the communication of Kaunas 2022. We ourselves see that our work in this area is not getting through to younger groups, so the participants analysed our methods and shared their ideas on how to broaden our angle on publically talking about the programme. Firstly, they examined how other capitals of culture approached this issue and gave solid advice to our head of communications. But most of the work here was structural, resulting in a separate series of events for schoolchildren in autumn – the graduates see this as a form of communication and a way to spark interest among pupils and students. “Verslas moksleiviams” [“Business for pupils”] was a practical initiative to form bonds between the business companies in Kaunas and the youth, the aim being making the youngest audiences relevant to modern entrepreneurial firms since pupils don’t hear much about the reality of jobs they could be interested in. There’s a stereotype that a schooler is not responsible enough to bring value to a company, therefore the participants worked on a special package for businesses that would introduce youngsters to the particular field using useful, effective internships. The European Youth Capital project was also on the table, and Kaunas is preparing an application for it as we speak. The team worked with pupils to get their perspective on what’s unique about the city. What are the near-future plans of the graduates? This is by far not a finite programme. The first graduates founded a club. This summer will see them working on their ideas that they’ve come up with during the training: educational programmes for schoolchildren, meetings
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with interesting people, city tours. It’s their responsibility, I only help them as a curator or a mentor. They say “we have plenty of ideas but we need someone to give fuel to them”, so our main role here is to always be available and help the graduates meet certain people or open particular doors, plan the budget, find sponsors or locations and so forth. Obviously, not all of the graduates from the first training sessions are now active members of the club, but that’s quite common – our society also consists of creators and spectators. After the programme, the graduates have the option to keep initiating such projects while others wish to be practical participants. The latter ones are invited to help festivals or organisations, so we’re creating a sort of network of pupils with valuable skills. We’ll assemble a new group of “Kauno iššūkis” in September, and the first graduates will become coordinators to the new members while also sharing their experience. As for a vision of the future, we see graduates taking over the curating of the whole programme, maybe even finding new goals for it. I’d guess this could happen as early as in two years’ time – this is an open programme and we’re not afraid that the existing methods might be replaced by different ones. That’s natural. Pupils that are reading this interview and wish to join you – what should they do? All the needed information is on the webpage of the programme [kaunas2022.eu] and on Facebook, we also have a public event to introduce the activities coming up. Pupils need to send us their motivational letters and we’ll accept every interested person for one project or another; people from the whole region are welcome as we aim for a more active relationship between the city and the countryside. Later phases of “Kylantis Kaunas” will have additional programmes focused around creative industries, for example, initiatives for digital technologies and so on. Every pupil reading this will
find a way to join us – if not in time for “Kaunas challenge” then when other programmes take place. What do you as a curator expect from his project? What’s the best case scenario here? Firstly, I hope every participant will create a suitable future for him or herself. Those brave enough not to fear making mistakes will in one way or another shape a unique, large, interesting European programme which we couldn’t even image at the beginning – that’s the overall vision. I see myself visiting Kaunas 2022 events and going “wow!” as I probably wouldn’t have believed this was possible before. This will be innovative, attractive, multi-cultural. Young people are opening up to the world and thinking bigger. What’s your own motivation for working with youngsters? When do you feel best? I see meaning in what we do here and that keeps me going. I’ve talked with teachers, administrators in schools a lot and they all told me that one can give plenty to a young person but that person will only use the knowledge 15 or more years later. So this can be a thankless job, they said. That’s actually very interesting to me personally – working hard and not seeing the results right away but knowing that you’re shaping personalities, helping them find themselves. It’s a constant challenge with gradual improvement, and my eight years of working with the youth shows that every new generation brings a fresh perspective – we all can learn something from these new angles. Young people are the pulse of innovation, therefore being there for them now will result in great achievements later. The participants that we encounter might become future presidents, leaders of the business or creative industries, so a chance to spend time with them is priceless. I feel enriched as a personality and I hope that my work helps them develop. It feels purposeful to work for the future. 2017
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FC Stumbras is the youngest, most multinational crew of the country. Two teams founded in 2013 and bought by foreign investors in 2015 include 20 legionnaires from Portugal, Brazil, Georgia, Mali, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, France, Ghana… Many athletes want to come to Kaunas and start their career as footballers here; the club proved that it’s taking care of the players well and helping them eventually move to solid clubs abroad. That’s the strategy of FC Stumbras. Mariano Barreto, a Portuguese footballer who ended his professional career as a player 40 years ago, tells us all there is to know about what’s behind this strategy and the work he does with both young and youngest sportspeople. His three assistants are from Portugal too, but it’s the future of football in Lithuania that people like him hold in their hands.
A coach. At the stadium and in Soboras. By Kotryna Lingienė and Kęstutis Lingys Photographs by Dainiaus Ščiuka
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Last March brought a new chapter to FC Stumbras and to you as well when you moved here. How have these 15 months been? I’d separate last season from this one: last year we were greeted like foreigners who came here to establish their rules. This wasn’t new to me – I’ve worked in Germany, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Cyprus and Angola over the last two decades… Newcomers are always seen this way. So, we just kept on working – we shaped the team anew and tried to get the best results in the A league whilst also making sure the value of our young players increases. We achieved our goals and finished fifth, it was the best position for the team so far. Two Lithuanians and two foreigners were sent to camps in Portugal by me: we send the players to train, not to find happiness in a new country. They have to learn to be better before looking for new clubs. For example, Rimvydas Sadauskas has just come back from Cork City in Ireland; we’ve also recently signed a two-year deal for one of our youngest players Nauris Petkevičius to play in Lille, France. Sounds like a lot of work! It really is. We’re now forming the team again. Most of our athletes are very young, 16 to 22 if we don’t count the two who are 24. Keep in mind that these guys play against experienced 28- and 30-year-olds in the Lithuanian championship. It’s normal that FC Stumbras is not among the leaders – younger players tend to make mistakes and those cost us points. My choice to work with younger players comes as a surprise to many fans, however I don’t see the logic in buying older athletes and finishing sixth. I’d rather hold that same position with younger talents that will grow and gain experience on the way. I believe such tactics might have a good lasting effect on Lithuanian football – it’s great for
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us as we can then help those players find a place in the international market. You also want to set up a football academy in Kaunas, right? Definitely, we’ve talked this through with the Sporting club in Lisbon – they’re up for sharing the brand, experience and coaches. The Kaunas region and Lithuania as a whole will profit from this, but we need infrastructure, thus the meetings with the federation. Right now both Stumbras teams are renting a field and that’s not cheap, while the academy will provide a training platform for every interested kid from this region. Maybe that’s what Lithuanian football is missing – solid work from very early on? Or do we lack local talent? Look, I’ve met my fair share of young talents that went on to become stars, and one of the best players I’ve seen is Nauris Petkevičius. I noticed him when he was 15 and instantly told the coach to let us train him. I was right – he amazed Lisbon’s Benfica and other clubs with his abilities. So, the problem lies in the way talents are treated rather than in the lack of them. Discipline, infrastructure and reliable coaching is all you need. Football is not just about a ball in a stadium, so playing well is not enough – athletes have to be educated and accompanied in their path to perfecting all of their skills. I’ve noticed many young talents that are not getting the needed attention and it pains me to see them fade away. That’s we seek to create our own academy. All legionnaires of FC Stumbras live together in a hotel. They cook, clean after themselves – do you know many young athletes that wash their own clothes? We’ve established the rules and a year went by without any incidents. Respect to others, car-
ing about education is all part of the training. The talent factor, obviously, is in this formula too. Six players that I’ve trained became world champions in the under-21 group. Only two of them continued their international careers – Luís Figo and Emílio Peixe, the latter is now a youth coach. The rest of them, no matter how talented they once were, reached 40 and only had that one title in their roster. It happens, and that’s a problem not only for the players but for their coaches and managers too. When did you learn to play football? I was born in Goa yet only lived there for a year; my parents then came back to Portugal, where I started playing it. You know, all children are fascinated by different sports balls, whether it’s basketball, tennis, or in Portugal’s case, football. And it has always been like that back home – many promising athletes come to Portugal from former colonies like the African countries or Brazil, then they move on to European clubs. And in Portugal, football is played by anyone, everywhere, at any given time. Everyone plays it, however only a few become coaches. What was your journey like? It was a coincidence: I was a good player aged 20 yet suffered an injury of the Achilles tendon. My career stopped for a year while I was studying at the university. Eventually I realised I couldn’t be a professional as I experienced massive pain whenever even trying to play. So I said yes when FC Sporting offered me to train 10-year-olds. A year later I started working with the under-19 group, and in two years six of my players became world champions as I’ve mentioned earlier. I moved to the main team and helped coaches who came from abroad. Dortmund’s Borussia then invited me to work
with a player who just had a trauma which everyone thought would be career-ending. In six months the club won the Champions League and that player was a fantastic asset to the final game. That’s when my international career began – I went on to consult coaches in Russia and to train national teams in Africa. My most precious medal is being lucky to work in such places with such great players. We have to ask how did Lithuania come up on such a diverse map? A coincidence as well. I had plans to return to Portugal as I missed my friends, relatives which I only got to see once every few years. When the investors who bought the club in Kaunas asked me to join the team and work using my own methods, I agreed. It seemed like an interesting opportunity and I also own some shares of the club. I fly to my family in Portugal once a month – they used to live with me but we thought it’d be hard for my youngest son to keep changing schools. I feel happy in Kaunas. I hope that when I leave this city and then come back in a few years, I’ll see the athletes I’ve worked with playing for the best teams. That’s always my dream, my goal that motivates me. Sometimes players do get cross with me since I seek perfection and work 24/7. No weekends off. Did you find places close to your heart in Kaunas? Apart from the stadium, of course. Yes, I constantly need a spot to think: to find ways how to help the players, to look for clubs they could approach and solve an array of other problems. That spot is usually the Kaunas Castle. I also spend some time in Laisvės Avenue, especially in Soboras. I’m catholic yet I don’t come there to pray, I just like the place. Regular visitors already know me.
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Every edition of this magazine is packed full of stories on adults with considerable achievements. Interestingly, most of those people probably wish they could be kids again, so why not chat to a young Kaunasian who, thankfully, hasn’t grown up yet? Martin Mia is thirteen, he’s interested in sport, heavy metal music and capoeira. Born in the USA and raised for a while in Indiana and Kentucky, he finds himself living in Kaunas for the last six years.
Growing up to be a rocker By Edvinas Grin Photographs by Donatas Stankevičiaus
So how did you get here? My grandparents lived in Lithuania and my parents and I used to come to visit them. Once we came here and just stayed, I was seven at the time. I didn’t quite understand the situation back then so this wasn’t a huge change for me. I just went to a new school, it didn’t really feel much different, it felt natural, especially keeping in mind that I knew the language from very early on. Which country did you like more? Can you compare living there and here? Probably the biggest difference is being able to ride around Kaunas freely, whereas in the USA I could only stay in one “corner” with my parents. Lithuania is more free and
feels safer – it’s fairly dangerous to go out in some areas of the USA. During the day time, kids are used to go to school on their own here, I think they grow up more independent because of that. I went to a pre-school in America but I remember being afraid whenever my mother would leave me there. It’s quite funny now – I used to say that my teeth hurt because I was scared to be alone. They would escort me to the nurse’s office and then my mother would pick me up. I never really felt any pain to be honest. Capoeira and music – how did these two things come to you? Music was first; I started playing the guitar when I was just a kid. I went
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to a music school here in Lithuania to learn to play classical guitar and then went on to study at the A. Kačanauskas Music School – I was lucky to get in as only two people out of twenty made it through. It was great to try the electric guitar out, now it‘s my sixth year of playing it. I turned to a heavier style of music about a year ago to perform the pieces I really enjoy.
What kind of music do you play? It’s all jazz, blues or Bach at the music school. But I love playing rock and metal with the band that we’re now forming. I enjoy heavy metal the most.
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Why the electric guitar though? I used to watch rockers playing on stage and it looked like fun, imagining that I could one day be doing that as well. Michael Jackson was always on TV along with bands like AC/ DC which really left quite an impression on me.
Why? Well, I like that feeling of rush when you’re listening to it. You feel the music traveling through your whole body. Do you go to places in Kaunas to listen to it? What about fellow metal fans? Yes, I was enjoying a concert at the Lemmy club yesterday, a Japanese band was playing. It was great! I’ll visit that club more often as this was only my second time there. Usually, there aren’t many spots to go to listen to such music, however I do find more and more people who share similar music interests. I started going to an after-class for people playing strings and percussion – we’re all playing together and discussing heavy metal with those who enjoy it. These people were the ones to invite me to go to Lemmy.
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Do your parents mind you going to such clubs where many adults exhibit pretty bad habits? I don’t really mind those smoking or drinking as it’s just not for me. My mother trusts me. I’m just interested in music while those things seem a bit meaningless to me. How would you describe capoeira to someone who doesn’t know anything about it? It’s a Brazilian martial art with elements of acrobatics, music and dance. I started doing karate in second grade and did it for a few years. Then my friends who were interested in acrobatics introduced me to capoeira. I imagined it to be all flips and high kicks at first, but I soon realised that it’s also about the dancing and the music. Capoeira lets you get to know your body through movement. Are there capoeira clubs in Kaunas? It’s not that popular here, there’s only a single group called “Kaunas Capoeira”. They’ve started out in one small room and now they’re expanding. We have classes in schools with lots of small children attending too; we also have performances, not contests or competitions since it’s a peaceful sport. Sometimes we go out to the city and do a training session on the street – it feels good as it’s also a show for the spectators. Last summer saw us doing that quite often and there were new people coming to the group after every open session. How does capoeira mix with metal music? There are months when I’m more focused on capoeira and others when music takes over. What are your favourite places in Kaunas? I like to go to the Kaunas Castle with friends, or to Santaka. I don’t really spend much time outside as I’m
However, the situation is getting better – I remember riding my skateboard some time ago, having no place to do that properly. I wanted to build a skate park then. Isn’t Kaunas too small for you? Not at all. I haven’t discovered all of it yet. What could we all do in order for the life in Kaunas to be better and more interesting? We should probably change the way we approach new things. For instance, some people would see us doing capoeira in the street and make fun of us, whereas I think we should welcome interesting activities and think “maybe I should at least give it a try?”. We lack openness, everything else is right here. A banal question to wrap up – what do you want to be when you grow up? I’ve always wanted to be a rocker. Now I can’t even imagine what could I study, I just want to be a rocker. I don’t believe this dream always comes true, but I want to keep hoping for the best.
constantly in different classes or sessions. Most of my time is spent in my own Kalniečiai neighbourhood. Imagine that you’re the mayor now. What’s the first thing you’d change about Kaunas? I’d probably get rid of various dens and thus make the city safer for everyone. Abandoned houses should be taken care of since they’re the meeting spots for the bad public.
In your opinion, what does one need to become a rocker? You should learn to play well with your band first. Then start playing at various clubs and try to make people notice your talent. If being a rocker was not an option, what would you pick? Perhaps a sports coach who’s training capoeira. I don’t think about leaving Kaunas but I would probably have to if I ever succeed at being a rocker. I wouldn’t like to go far away though, I’d like to keep in touch with Kaunas and return often. Anyway, the first part of the plan is creating a band.
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Mindaugas Arlinskas is truly a busy man. His company Oro Pagalvės produces advertising videos and does post-production for clips and movies (for example, films like Emilija iš Laisvės alėjos). Mindaugas has two daughters aged five and seven, who take their scooters to ride along him on his longboard around Kaunas, stopping to sit at cafes and observe the city. He also continues the animation work that was actually started in Kaunas by Ladislas Starevich, not just creating himself but educating children about it too – usually, not his own children. That’s what we’re eager to discuss.
Mindaugas the image mover By Kotryna Lingienė Photographs by Artūras Bulota
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Did you begin organising animation workshops for kids because you became a young dad? No, this started before having children. Together with Mantas Tolpežninkas, a DJ from Kaunas, we used to organise audio-visual parties called Go Gaga in Vilnius. Mantas thought we needed more activities during the day, so I came up with a stop motion workshop and I loved the experience! We had many different participants, adults too. However, making clay figures and then taking photos is not that fun for children as you have to wait quite a while to see the result. I was looking for a way to make it more interesting… Finally, I stumbled upon a Japanese gadget, the phenakistoscope, a kind of circle with walls to place drawings on them. There’s a small hole to look at the spinning circle, this is where the animation effect comes from. I wanted to incorporate this into the workshop. Then I saw an ad where some drawings were spinning on a vinyl record player. This was the key to the solution: I’ve split the circle into 12 parts and have eventually decided to use a DJ’s record player. Success came after many tries with a different number of frames. And then what? Then, it was a pause of a few years. I was busy with other stuff and family, also initiating the screening series “Kultūringas kinas” inside the Kultūra café at the painting gallery. While putting the programme together, I remembered the workshop and thought it might bring more people. I was hooked again! We moved to a new art incubator on A. Mapu street in Old Town, where I had everything I’d ever need – space, equipment, symbolic financial support…
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Workshops at children’s day care centres are organised by the mentioned incubator, I was invited to take part as an artist and go to centres in the Kaunas region for a month. Maybe we’ll start a similar initiative in Vilnius as there are some interested institutions like the national library even though I prefer working with a “raw” audience. How does working with children who have never given art a chance influence you as a creator? It charges and inspires me. Seeing children aged 7-8 who already have scars on the faces is an impactful sight. Those kids are way more mature than my daughters but typically they just tell me they won’t take part in this. Then it’s up to me to make them interested, and when a child finally creates something by himself, very strong emotions take over. Do you catch up with kids after the workshops to see how they’re doing? I’ll visit most of them soon. We worked on short films last time, very short! They animated the title, then created two scenes – I have to tell you that fire and guns dominated the themes. Then they were learning to edit it all: closeup, distant angle, movement. We also touched on how would one draw water. Finally, they drew the finishing titles, which was their name. When I’m done working on these movies, I’ll go visit them to show the results. Did you ever study how to educate kids? No. All right, I had three years of art pedagogy at Stepas Žukas School of Applied Arts but never had any real practice with children. Now I just follow my intuition. Look at
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me – this hat, the tattoos, they like this sort of stuff and treat me as one of their own. We talk as friends even though I’m teaching them technical things. I’d be lost if I came here with a suit to read out loud from a boring book. Can these kids grow up to be artists? Definitely. When a child succeeds at drawing something, you couldn’t tell whether it’s a day care centre or an art school any more. One girl from Šančiai didn’t want to take part so I made a deal with her that she can skip the next two workshops if she tries drawing during the first one. She painted a drinking glass with a small water tap running inside of it and water spilling out of the whole glass. Surreal! Is it easier to talk to children in the language of art? I think so. It’s quite often that art helps you find a way to talk to a stubborn, angry kid. It’s great when they start copying me – I came to the second meeting in Dainava and saw them with drawings on their hands saying “Mindaugas, look!”. Does time spent with kids that are not that happy have an effect on the way you treat your own children? Are you becoming more loving or maybe stricter? I’d say my daughters are getting enough attention already – they constantly draw and take pictures, visit many museums and go to a wonderful kindergarten. Once I’ve decided to do a similar private workshop with them at home. And it was… well, it was more of a joke to them. Coming back home from other workshops makes me realise
that my kids are not troublemakers after all! Did you inspire any friends to engage in similar activities? One buddy who’s also a dad works as a creative director in an advertising agency. He’s trying to use the workshop model to show his kid what he does at work. My DJ friends always support me – they come to play music and tell children about the equipment used. I’ve just realised we didn’t touch on how animation entered your life. Was it related to a career as a VJ [aka video jockey or veejay]? As a kid, I loved clay animation movies! Only later a guy known as Karalius from a group of DJs called RyRalio introduced me to the incredible works of Jan Švankmajer, a Czech animator. I should also mention a team of VJs named Rüt Rüt and especially Emanuelis Ryklys, who is famous for his work with coffee today. I adored the video collages they created and I started doing it myself. Chris Cunningham was also a big influence on me, particularly his collaborations with grandees like Aphex Twin. Drum and bass or techno parties were my usual cup of tea in terms of VJing. And what about Ladislas Starevich, a pioneer in animation who began creating in Kaunas? Oh yes! The first showing of “Kultūringas kinas” saw me choosing a documentary about him by Donatas Ulvydas called Vabzdžių dresuotojas [Insect whisperer]. I think Kaunas doesn’t know enough about him and we should do something about that.
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Childhood at the museum Interview by Julija Račiūnaitė Photographs by Teodoras Biliūnas
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People of Kaunas remember museums from their childhood: fabric slippers sliding on an oak parquet, a dim light hitting darkened oil canvases, spooky showcases of arthropods, the sound of Jūra by M. K. Čiurlionis, policing eyes of workers and the exhibits you got to secretly touch. No wonder one of the prominent areas of museum work today is education. Five employees happily agreed to answer our questions and tell us about the interesting variety of education, the work of such an educator and the hopes they have.
Here are the questions: 1 How many educational programmes does the museum have and what age groups are they for? 2 Which educational activity do you enjoy most? Which of them reflect the aims of the museum best, also the image and the exhibition? 3 What obstacles do you face in this line of work? Which visitor groups are the most sensitive, the most demanding? 4 Given the chance, how would you improve the existing programmes? 5 How did the educational activities change over the last decade (or since you started working here)? 6 How do educational programmes change the face of the museum?
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Nijolė Jurkuvienė, educator at the M. Žilinskas Art Gallery (M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum) 1 We have around ten active educational programmes at the gallery, stretching from pre-schoolers (my favourite curious ones) to the oldest pupils. Disabled people and seniors are part of our programmes too, we also have a unique exposition for blind visitors in our dungeon. 2 My path as an educationist started from examining my own roots. I’ve worked at the M. K. Čiurlionis museum as a tour guide for 20 years, telling visitors about the famous artist and our folk works, I had the chance to study the archives too. Soon I became fond of spindles and started analysing symbols of the Baltic people. I was creating sketches and collecting information, hoping to share it all when the independence was regained. The data I’ve gathered is presented to visitors during art classes: we draw the tree of life, we paint and learn to recognise the hidden meaning behind various symbols. Some pupils decide to take part in the “Mano Lietuva” [“My Lithuania”] contest. But what’s Lithuania like? We can do so much better than simply portraying a castle surrounded by a lake with a swan in it, for example, by using the language of symbols our ancestors had. This is a precious topic for me. By the way, one of the most popular educational programmes of the gallery is the laboratory of art for children. Kids from all over Kaunas come to participate, and later, when they come back as students, they tell us how they’ve used the knowledge gained here. 3 Probably the most complicated classes are the ones for grades 6-8. I pay extra attention to these groups, sometimes getting a lot of ironic smiles at first but then they all start listening when I speak about the
spiritual problems of artists and the profound ideas behind particular artworks. You can’t patronise youngsters; you need to be as thankful to them as a host is to a pleasant visitor. There aren’t many people in Lithuania, so we should treat the person that comes to us as a valuable human being. 4 We have quite a rich exposition yet we lack suitable educational means to present it all. I visited a lot of museums while studying in Leipzig: it was a pleasure watching mothers and children work together at the art studio inside the museum, with paint splashing around in a million colours and the staff ensuring everyone has everything they need. A true spectacle! I’d like to see more of such free and unfiltered activities in our museums. www.ciurlionis.lt Matas Toliušis, educator at the Kaunas Town Hall (Kaunas City Museum) 1 Right now there are 12 educational programmes that complement the guided tours at the museum. Pupils of grades 1 to 12 are welcome, for instance, we have a special programme for grades 5-8 called “History of the letter”, where we explore how the means of transporting information have evolved, and then there’s even a chance to write a letter with an old-fashioned quill pen and mail it. Older pupils get to go around Kaunas to see the architecture and find out more about it: they take pictures outside, have other interesting tasks and share their experiences upon coming back to the museum. 2 As a joke, I sometimes say that this building is the multi-functional centre of the middle ages: there’s a jail in the basement, a market place on the first floor and government offices on the second one. We have some intriguing historic ma-
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terial, however what’s the main thing a visitor will remember from the visit? An emotion. I believe the best emotions are born during the mentioned “History of the letter” and also “The city’s coat of arms”, where participants create a souvenir for themselves out of clay. These two programmes have the English option too – usually we have groups of Lithuanian pupils that want to link this class to their English lessons. We organise “Smetona’s courses” for women – these are great for hen nights, and I’m the host! A programme that we’ve borrowed from the Communication History Museum is about radio equipment, it’s called “Hello, hello, Kaunas is speaking” – these were actually Lithuania’s first radio words spoken by Petras Speičius on June 12th in 1926. 3 Different groups come here, so you need to “scan” them in a way first and then act accordingly. If I see that the visitors are getting sleepy, I quickly change the form of the tour into a discussion and move to the more interesting exhibit (like the mammoth tooth). There has to be two-sided communication between the group and the guide. Another important factor is the number of people, usually it’s best to have less than 20 people. 4 I come from a larger museum with more exhibits and sometimes I miss that. On the other hand, a real strength of this place is the symbolic value of the building and the tremendous spaces. Recently, a new director Gabrielius Sužiedėlis started managing the museum; he’s determined to make all five sections much more open to the city’s community and to incorporate public spaces into that using the context of Kaunas with guided tours outside. 5 Education is one of the means of communicating with the society. The content we have inside and
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how we talk about it to others are two equal factors of success. Building a solid image of a museum takes years as usually there’s no funding for massive advertising. You need a strong concept of the whole place and true professionals of their craft – museologists of the 21st century. It’s time to form closer bonds with the city and its residents. www.kaunomuziejus.lt Eglė Urmonavičiūtė, guide/educator at the Maironis Lithuanian Literature Museum 1 We have over ten educational programmes for kids in primary school, grades 5-8 and grades 9-12, yet we also have something to offer to the pre-school audience. 2 A dilemma arises when we’re creating a new programme: should we make the educational activities fun or make them meaningful? Balancing these two factors is quite a complicated process since our subject is Maironis. It’s no surprise that kids love classes where they get to play the most – a simple tour results in less questions compared to a sensible game. It’s always best to let them discover things themselves rather than to just show them something. By the way, we have a new and interactive exposition on Lithuanian literature: kids can play, lift and twist things, solve problems, go through books and so forth; except for the exhibits under the glass, you can touch pretty much everything. 3 Teenagers are a dynamic bunch, they include hard-working pupils, bored ones and rebels. But the most difficult situation is when kids are brought here against their will, for instance, if a teacher-perfectionist wants his or her pupils from another town to visit all of the big Kaunas museums in one go. We try to work together with the teachers and coordinate such tours.
4 It would be great to fantasise which contemporary technical marvels could be used to make the exhibitions a lot more interactive, but in reality that’s insanely expensive. 5 There weren’t any informational technologies some time ago, and it’s great that the situation has changed. A museum is quite a static institution in itself and the needs of visitors evolve very fast. Also, the question arises – how much of a change should the museum make for every new generation? Finding a modern, relevant, suitable form to introduce the content is an enormous task, and museums are not always keeping up with the pace. 6 Museologists love to discuss the aims and mission of a museum as an institution. Should you protect the heritage or focus more on education? A profound educational programme is a guarantee of a museum’s decent image, yet compelling stories must be involved – you can’t just keep plainly looking at an exhibit. www.maironiomuziejus.lt
Daiva Šarkanauskaitė, head of the museum of children’s literature (Maironis Lithuanian Literature Museum) 1 Pre-schoolers are our biggest audience but we have some surprises for grownups too since we’re running over ten educational programmes for different age groups. 2 “Plunging into the tale” is probably our most popular activity, dedicated to the best Lithuanian stories. Participants can dress up as heroes of the tale and they introduce their characters by reading an excerpt from a book. The goal is for the kids to get hooked on these stories and go to the library to look for them, however adults enjoy the games with dressing up as well. 3 We don’t encounter that many obstacles: our classes are quite in-
teresting, attractive and fun, so children seem very happy to take part and have a laugh. Parents and grandparents can get costumes too! We use games to keep groups of kids curious, and teenagers can enjoy the programme “The island of princesses” based on the book by Birutė Mar. 4 A restauration of the building is a must for us, along with modernising the exposition. There are some amazing examples in Europe like the Children’s Book Museum in The Hague or a centre for children’s literature in Tallinn (which includes a library, museum and educational spaces). Everything you now see here was possible due to the funding by the Lithuanian Council of Culture and it’s paramount for us to keep on writing projects that are financially supported. We have plenty of ideas, all we need to do is to continue the work and keep telling people about it. 5 The museum really changed during the last year because of the educational programmes: we have classes for specific learning phases so pupils and their teachers arrive according to the agreed education plans at their schools. The number of visitors has grown a lot. 6 It’s fantastic to see people coming back to show their friends or family around. Positive feedback gives meaning to the work of museologists. www.maironiomuziejus.lt Renata Mikalajūnaitė, head of the Historical Presidential Palace (M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum) 1 Our activities for children and adults are separate: grades 1-5 can enjoy an educational programme about civic education; our exciting quiz about S. Darius and S. Girėnas is fit for any age group; classes about clothing in Kaunas, romance during
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the Interwar years or propaganda are suitable for older pupils, however grownups tend to like them too. I should add that the propaganda-focused programme is very relevant today. By the way, one of our educators just came back from training on how to effectively work with special needs people, therefore we’re trying out a new programme right this moment called “Be caring”. 2 The educational programme on clothing in Kaunas is really popular but I’d say I feel closer to the one about propaganda since I studied public communication. Our presi-
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dents, especially Antanas Smetona, along with their teams were absolute experts on propaganda. It’s a much wider term that we’re used to imagine. Mainly, all of our programmes are related to the time period which was the most important one for this museum, to the context, facts and personalities of those days. 3 Certainly, it’s not unusual for a group of visitors to lose interest for a moment, especially if it’s the fifth museum they visit that day. However, I do think most of the success relies on the educator – if a guide “lives” the subject, believes in it and greets
Maironis Lithuanian Literature Museum
guests with enthusiasm, the people get captivated instantly. Sometimes I hear pupils singing the national anthem in the next room while sitting at my desk, and an urge to stand up overwhelms me [laughs]. 4 For our team, creating a new concept of an exposition means creating an educational programme to go with it. New projects usually witness us using educational equipment, so the material base of our museum is expanding as well. 5 A museum today becomes a particular centre of leisure and entertainment. If we use the new national
museum in Tartu, Estonia as an example, we should mention that the educational programmes can lose their limits in order for the whole visit to become an educational experience. Seeing the exhibits is not enough – interactivity is at the core of modern expositions. Of course, many visitors like the classic exhibition too. We have to remember that museums of art and those of history typically have very different options of how to use their educational elements. www.istorineprezidentura.lt
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N G I S E D F O Y T I C O C S E N U
“Let’s adopt a practical angle – what should Old Town’s function be after the reconstruction? A typical residential neighbourhood, a component of the city’s centre, a museum of urban lifestyle? Obviously, the social life of Old Town will have its own character if the area was to become, let’s say, a nightlife destination, an oasis of historic romance or a residential district”. This was the spectre of possible choices for the city’s future that architect Vytautas Jurkštas considered almost 50 years ago, while writing about how Kaunas could adjust to relevant needs at the time.
How old is Old Town? By Paulius Tautvydas Laurinaitis
This was right after the reconstruction of Old Town ended, and a regeneration of a much larger scale was in the planning stages… The historic part of the city, much like in the other bigger municipalities of the country, was talked about a lot by urban planners since the Interwar years: small and narrow streets were flooded with traffic, many places
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lacked basic amenities while most buildings were far from a safe state, let alone a state 20th century residents should face every day. During the Soviet period, things got worse due to many annexes that the people built themselves, along with the war-influenced population changes and the social problems that came with. Additionally, the network of commercial firms was
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One of the courtyards of the Old Town before its reconstruction. Picture by S. LukoĹĄius, 1962. Archive of Kaunas City Museum.
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torn apart and then converted into a state one because of the society’s nationalisation. Various real estate embezzlements and the centralisation of property gave way to the reconstruction of Old Town, a process discussed at the beginning of the 1950s and started only ten years later. Even though many architectural monuments were restored and the need for “complexity” was clearly understood, Old Town was still rarely looked upon as a valuable place: it was a residential neighbourhood with monumental structures co-existing with other ones. Buildings that failed to be named “monumental” were renovated in a way that took away their previous beauty, and those deemed “shoddy” were typically demolished. Other structures were brought down too, for example, Old Town lost most of its characteristic wooden buildings, together with some historic backyards that were carefully surrounded by residential houses through the centuries. At least the latter process had a noble goal – to create green areas with playgrounds inside residential blocks, yet often those areas were quickly worn out or transformed into “spaces for nothing”. It’s no surprise that some decisions were criticised even by the organisers of the reconstruction – many initial projects were distorted due to crossinstitutional misunderstandings and other bureaucratic obstacles of those times. The opinion that Old Town was just another residential neighbourhood was pulled apart the most; a lot of buildings were raised to street level and a third, “modern” floor was added – it had no real stylistic features. Although the residential area got larger and
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the quality of life in Old Town did improve a bit, this still wasn’t an attractive place: according to surveys, most residents of Old Town wanted to move to new micro districts and they didn’t see their neighbourhood as fit for the function of a historic area. V. Jurkštas describes the idyll of Old Town in a vivid way: “There’s nothing to do here. The dark Town Hall square is just not cosy in the evening… Black silhouettes of the buildings, tiny candles in windows of Medžiotojų Užeiga, a shop selling burial products and proudly showcasing them…”. Even though those in charge of the regeneration in 1980s have learned from the mistakes during reco nstruction times, some processes were still a problem, like “undecorating” the facades or rebuilding them according to the oldest architectural layer. Jurgis Oksas, a historian who examined a great number of city blocks, suggested “restoring the natural surroundings of 1617th centuries and forgetting about reconstructions of the 19th century” in the press. Demolishing structures inside the blocks and failing to create suitable green spaces in those spaces was still going on, but at least the historic limits were being symbolically marked. Block after block, house after house the area was renovated in an inclusive way, albeit still resembling the planning favorited during Soviet years. The institute for engineering construction in Vilnius has even prepared a project for the allotment of commercial and civilian buildings, where, next to touristic and residential roles, Old Town
would also act as a kind of open-air shopping mall with different stores placed in suitable streets: “Fur, hat and cloth shops would be situated in Daukštos street, while Požėlos [now Šv. Gertrūdos] street would have shops for shoes and clothes”. There were talks about bringing the craftsman back to first floors all over Old Town, this way honouring the historic planning and giving the area its old functions back, also thinking about cooperative times that were getting closer. However, the biggest problem with the regeneration was that Old Town wasn’t treated as a living organism, and it was even less lively after processes of nationalisation and the first reconstruction. Regeneration moved many residents out, and the idea of a finished and fixed part of the city – which was “borrowed” from Soviet residential neighbourhoods – flourished when combined with a specific museum vibe. For instance, talks about moving the old market – “an unfit element” – out of Old Town were praised in the press, while the new functionless square was portrayed as a perfect spot for tourists and locals (more on that market – in the September issue of 2016). Little by little Old Town turned into a particular sanctuary shaped by office workers in various institutions, some of which felt that the area was only a museum of the past for the socialist human. Old Town was not at all seen as a society, it was merely a simple mush of streets, monuments and buildings. Probably the most influential change of the regeneration was opening Vilnius street to pedestrians in 1985 – along with the previously reconstructed Laisvės
Avenue, Kaunas obtained another solid artery going throughout the city centre. The new smaller elements were not welcomed by most architects, but now these beloved telephone booths, posts and kiosks have proven to pass the test of time. The construction of the mentioned objects could be seen as transforming the old spirit of Old Town into a unified interpretation of design according to how the past and history were perceived at the time. For example, the neighbourhood had many forged metal signs put up, yet research showed that for centuries the words were simply painted on facades. Also, the unified design of streets ignored the historic truth that the older parts of cities were always truly diverse. The regeneration wasn’t fully completed – the last stages of it were interrupted by the famous events a quarter of a century ago; some unfinished structures are still unused today. Designers couldn’t agree on a single model for Old Town: whether it should only be a calm residential place with shopping areas or should it have tourist attraction spots as well. The historic part of Kaunas entered our times being depersonalised on two levels – with the old residents gone, social identity was lost, and the regeneration processes made sure the physical-visual image changed too. The term “old town” suffered a paradigm shift – although the common perception of it as a historic place remained, the more intricate associations vanished completely. However, we must thank those urban planners for one thing – a solid pedestrian zone, which is already seen as a timeless gift by two generations of residents.
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Whilst thoughts on the new souvenirs of Kaunas are still oating in the air, our focus is to capture the valuable and relevant items that are being created here every month. The coordinates are here to make you go for it instead of just admiring it.
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Minimalistas salon www.minimalistas.lt
KOKO Boutique salon www.kokoboutique.lt
The Minimalistas salon was opened a few months ago in M. Valančius street which is now often referred to as “an avenue of galleries”. Four admirers of fresh interior design got together to create a place where you can discuss the aesthetic revival of your home, look through some albums or check out what other Lithuanian and foreign artists are up to. Here you’ll also find IDDO Slow, which we introduced in the last edition.
The closest neighbours of Minimalistas put the interior of the whole salon in the hands of Antanas Šarkauskas and Giedrė Šarkauskienė. After the opening party, the team began researching which Scandinavian, Israeli or other designers could work along Lithuanians here.
1 Pilies str. (enter from M. Valančiaus str.)
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Minimalistas salon, www.minimalistas.lt KOKO Boutique salon, www.kokoboutique.lt 1 Pilies str. (enter from M. Valančiaus str.)
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Poster “Soviet Logos” by Rokas Sutkaitis
Poster “Moon” by Some Edition
A few months back Graphic designer Rokas Sutkaitis has created an Instagram profile which instantly charmed most bloggers of this particular field worldwide – Rokas digitalises logos created for the Soviet market several decades ago. The initial batch of logos that he liked ended up on this poster yet all copies have been sold very quickly! The designer told us he’s about to introduce a second poster when he hits 200 logos.
Lauryna Narkevičiūtė and Martyna Jovaišaitė specialise in different arts, that’s what actually nudged them to create a studio Some Edition. Without limiting their digital creative abilities, the artists turn regular objects into unique masterpieces.
€18 www.instagram.com/soviet_logos
€220 (frame included) www.someedition.com
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“Išdygęs iš gilės” table at Minimalistas €220 www.someedition.com
The traditions of Lithuanian furniture design of the Interwar period will continue to inspire professionals for a long time. This table “Išdygęs iš gilės” [“Grown from an acorn”] is, of course, made from oak.
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Candles “Rustic Line” by Blue Sparrow Candles €28 for one www.bluesparrowcandles.com
Hand-made in Lithuania from soy wax, cotton knots and wine bottles that were resurrected for an emotional life, these candles bring out many feelings like the one that overwhelms you upon touching the label, the paper of which is made from 25% cotton.
Album “Griot Blues” by Mighty Mo Rodgers and Baba Sissoko €15 Found at Caffeine Roasters cafes or on gmgyvai.lt
Coming from the USA and Mali, the team behind GM Gyvai initiative met in Lithuania to perform here, was inspired by the local vibe and recorded an album. The CD was introduced in Kaunas too – it deserves a spot in the collections of melomaniacs since it’s the artistic link between blues music, slavery and African traditions.
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Calendar 06 28 – 10 01
Exhibition: Muse of a Poet (Poeto mūza – Savoldo angelas) A. Žmuidzinavičius museum, V. Putvinskio g. 64
07 03 – 07 09
Contemporary circus festival “Cirkuliacija” Various locations
06 29 – 07 23
Exhibition: States of a Conflict (Konflikto būsenos)
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The third international contemporary circus festival is focusing primarily on education. The organizers have managed to invite two great Lithuanian artists working abroad to showcase their performances in Kaunas and other cities in Lithuania.
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Monday, 07 03, 18:00 Artūras Morozovas is the rising star of the young generation of Lithuanian photographers. He’s usually busy shooting at conflict zones for both Lithuanian and international press. The works at the exhibition were created at Georgia, Ukraine, Russia and Moldova.
On theatre: Staniškytė, Klivis, Steiblytė Kaunas artists’ house, V. Putvinskio g. 56
Sunday, 07 02, 21:30
Pažaislis music festival: Barbora Radvilaitė Kaunas castle, Pilies g. 17
Experience a true Lithuanian drama staged at the unique Kaunas Castle.
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Let’s talk about what was hot and what wasn’t even cool in the theatres last season.
July Tuesday, 07 04, 15:00
Exhibition: Days of a Soldier (Kareivio dienos) Vytautas the Great War Museum, K. Donelaičio g. 64
The International Children‘s Games is an International Olympic Committee-sanctioned event held every year where children from cities around the world and between the ages of 12 and 15 participate in a variety of sports and cultural activities. For the first time in history, the event will be happening in Kaunas this July. Expect thousands of happy kids around town! 07 05 – 07 28
Exhibition: Memories about Today. Journey to Oneself Meno parkas gallery, Rotušės a. 27 The exhibition is focusing on conscription as one of the most important elements of Lithuanian armed forces. Come visit and experience the life of an everyday soldier. 07 04 – 07 09
International Children’s Games ICG‚ 2017 Various locations
The exhibition by Simona Lukoševičiūtė is part of the gallery’s project aimed at young artists. In the description, the painter states she belongs to time and tries to reflect her physical being in the world in her artworks. Wednesday, 07 05, 19:00
Live: Abudu
Kaunas Artists’ House, V. Putvinskio g. 56
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Calendar Abudu is one of the most interesting Lithuanian bands today. They started recording their debut album almost a year ago - it took time to decide what message they want to deliver and what sound suits them best. The result is not a definite answer and it sounds really good.
Thursday, 07 06, 10:00 – 16:00
Excursion festival L6 Various locations
Thursday, 07 06, 13:00
Raudondvaris manor, Pilies takas 1, Raudondvaris
The festival is a gift from dedicated Kaunas-loving professionals to everyone who wants to discover more about the city. Happening on the Statehood day, the event consists of a handful of themed excursions, some of them in English and Polish. The Soboras is the meeting and registration point.
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Live: Lithuanian Kids in the Raudondvaris Manor
Thursday, 07 06, 15:00
Live: Mystkowianie
Open Air museum of Lithuania, L. Lekavičiaus g. 2, Rumšiškės
The whole day in the manor is dedicated to kids; it means the program is full of sports, educational workshops, food stalls, interactive discussions and a grand concert by Erisioni, the Georgian national dance and song ensemble.
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The folk band “Mystkowianie” consists of 32 members that all come from a small and very interesting village in
July Poland, Mystkowo. The concert is part of the international folklore festival Baltica. Thursday, 07 06, 19:00
Statehood day Jiesia hillfort
The annual operetta festival at the Kaunas castle is a real treat to the lovers of the genre. The main event free of charge! - will feature some of the best-known melodies and songs. Saturday, 07 08, 14:00
Aviation Day
Pociūnai aerodrome, Prienų r.
You are invited to celebrate the Lithuanian Statehood Day and sing the national anthem on 100 hillforts all around Lithuania. One of the locations is the so-called Napoleon hill. Before the singing of the anthem, you’ll get to listen to folk bands from the Aleksotas district and will be able to meet different historical characters. Thursday, 07 06, 20:00
Concert: Long Live Operetta! Kaunas Castle, Pilies g. 17
The Kaunas Skydiving Center is inviting everyone to their homebase. The program includes a vintage aviation exhibition and lots of action in the air.
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Calendar Wednesday, 07 12, 16:00
The 80th Birthday of Judita Vaičiūnaitė Maironis Lithuanian Literature Museum
The peaceful music night will be started by Kristijonas Ribaitis and then continued by Andrius Kaniava accompanied by a live band. Thursday, 07 13, 18:00
Live: Variations of the Classics
The birthday of the famous Lithuanian writer includes an exhibition, a guitar concert and, of course, readings.
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Kaunas Artists’ House, V. Putvinskio g. 56
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TWednesday, 07 12, 19:00
Live: Andrius Kaniava
Pažaislis Monastery, T. Masiulio g. 31
K AU N A S F U L L O F CU LT U R E
July Ona Gražinytė (piano) and Augustas Gocentas (cello) will perform music by F. Shubert, C. Debussy, R. Shumann, A.Part, N. Paganini, A. Piazzolla and the likes.
Friday, 07 14, 18:00
The Night of Smells
VMU Kaunas Botanical Garden, Ž. E. Žilibero g. 6
Friday, 07 14, 18:00
Šilainiai [Paris] Project 2017 Žemaičių pl. 25
The traditional and muchawaited event lures the visitors of the botanical garden into the magical world of smells. Saturday, 07 15, 12:00
Welcoming KEKTO the Octopus
Kaunas Picture Gallery, K. Donelaičio g. 16 More than 1600 kilometers from Paris there was once Paris in Kaunas, too. For the first time in history, the Bastille day will be celebrated in the location of a former village in Šilainiai, the biggest suburbia of Kaunas.
A new street art project born out of love to Kaunas will be born in July. Meet Kekto, a wild yet friendly octopus which chose the walls of Kaunas picture gallery for his debut. The project is part of the Kaunas - European Capital of Culture 2022 program.
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Calendar Saturday, 07 15, 14:00
Šilainiai [Fortas] Project 2017 8th Fort, Prysmančių g.
Keegan McInroe is a folk guitarist and songwriter; Matt Tedder belongs to the new generation of blues in the US. The artists both come from Texas and will be greeted by a legendary Lithuanian blues musician Aleksandr Belkin. Sunday, 07 23, 17:00
Pažaislis music festival: Magic of Music (Muzikos magija)
The experimental event in one of the numerous forts of Kaunas is open to all sorts of sound and light experiments.
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Kaunas State Philharmonic Hall, L. Sapiegos g. 5
Thursday, 07 20, 19:00
Live: Keegan McInroe, Matt Tedder and Aleksandr Belkin Combo Club, Raudondvario pl. 107
The grand piano ensemble Grieg trio first came together around three decades ago. The musicians will perform music by Joseph Haydn, Ernest Bloch, Dmitrij Šostakovič and Antonín Dvořák.
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July Thursday, 07 27, 20:00
Live: Michael Hill‘s Blues Band „Renginių Oazė“, Baltų pr. 16
Friday, 07 28, 18:00
Pažaislis music festival: Voices of the World Evangelical Lutheran Church, Muitinės g. 8A
Michael Hill‘s Blues Mob is an American blues trio formed in the early 1990s by Michael Hill. The musician came to blues music from the atypical social and musical background of the Bronx and the Black Rock Coalition. Friday, 07 28, 18:00
Live: Samba da Minha Terra Raudondvaris manor, Pilies takas 1, Raudondvaris
‘Samba da Minha Terra’ is a project that joined the artistic forces of Brazilian musicians and a Lithuanian jazz singer. They all met in the Netherlands and can’t wait to share their improvisational skills with the Lithuanian crowd.
Ensemble International consists of Lithuanian, Norwegian, Ukrainian and French musicians. In the church, they’ll perform Norwegian music as well as some Vivaldi and Bach.
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A child is a social human being equal to a grown-up. They have different life goals, though - the grown-up creates and perfects his surroundings; the kid creates and perfects the grown-up.
Marija Kuraitytė-Varnienė (1886-1982), a Montessorian pedagogue
KAUNAS FULL OF CULTURE Monthly magazine about personalities and events in Kaunas (free of charge)
Laisvės al. 59, third floor
Editorial office:
Authors: Artūras Bulota, Dainius Ščiuka, Donatas Stankevičius, Edvinas Grin, Eglė Šertvyčūtė, Gunars Bakšejevs, Julija Račiūnaitė, Kipras Šumskas, Kotryna Lingienė, Kęstutis Lingys, Paulius Tautvydas Laurinaitis, Simona Visockytė, Tautė Bernotaitė, Teodoras Biliūnas, Toma Šilinaitė. Patrons:
KAUNO MIESTO SAVIVALDYBĖ
RUN 100010COPIES. TIRAŽAS 000 EGZ.
ISSN 2424-4465
Leidžia: Publisher:
2017 Nr. 72 (23) (18)