KAUNAS FULL OF CULTURE
Diaries
Illustration by Reda Tomingas
2018 08
This is how the city is perceived by a blog called Vaporwave Kaunas. Turn the page to find out more.
Kaunas, August 1, 2018
This morning, while getting in and out the narrow passages of Laisvės Avenue, I tried to count how many dogs that flamboyant ex-beardy with a bicycle has. I also wonder where he gets them from? Does he work as a dog walker (more like a dog rider) or is he merely very friendly to his neighbours? And when will burgomaster Jonas Vileišis be back to the spot near the Central post office? Also – when’s the next explosion in Parakas? I lost a lighter there during the Saint John’s Eve, and I hope it wasn’t washed away by heavy rainfall.
Dear diary, The diary entry of August 1, 2016, would be completely different: what Parakas are we talking about, what Vileišis, what partition fences? It will also be different in a few years when the partition fences will disappear, and ideas like Parakas will be popping up not only in Šančiai but various neighbourhoods of Kaunas. Maybe lighters will no longer be used as well since smoking is becoming less trendy. In the end, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that there is someone to photograph and write it all down; to measure the intensity of a rainfall - even if it’s by looking at it and count all the dogs. And the more eyes there are the clearer the picture. It goes without saying that secret personal notes, memoirs, blogs, vlogs and other modern ways of talking about yourself or your environment
are not one and the same thing. But it is definitely interesting to research and compare how differently various independent individuals see the city and the world. And the narrower the angles, the more original their view of the world. In this issue, we’ll be looking at Kaunas of yesterday, today and tomorrow through a basketball net, architecture, rear-view mirror of the car, Instagram filter and those diaries that became memoirs and entered the library. In other words, turn the pages and tune in to Vidas Mačiulis’ video camera, Marija Oniščik’s keyboard, Kaunas 2022 program Kaunas Challenge stipend winners’ phones, Sumauta pavara bloggers’ handbrakes and the pilot glasses of Pranas Hiksa, the first Lithuanian military aviator.
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“I started this project completely accidentally when listening to vaporwave. I made some illustrations, received some support and continued to come up with new images to surprise my followers with. I Didn’t expect it to last so long, but I still have some ideas for Kaunas. I love this city, and I find it extremely nostalgic; therefore, some vaporwave elements always remind me of Kaunas,” says Viktorija Poderskytė.
Vaporwave Kaunas Gunars Bakšejevs Illustrations by Viktorija Poderskytė
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Vaporwave is a microgenre that pumps and centrifuges 80s stylistics. In this movement, musical sounds are often complemented by naively satirical elements of graphic design that combine epochs, characters and the lyricism of video games. Vaporwave Kaunas blog currently has over 4000 followers. Viktorija’s illustrations online are accidentally discovered even by vaporwave fans from the US who, after stumbling upon it, maybe jokingly start planning their trips to Lithuania.
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Some six decades ago, Vidas Mačiulis, son of Cezaris (named after the architect of Raudondvaris Church) and the grandson of Jonas (Mačiulis, but not Maironis, although one young examiner got into believing that he was when Vidas was applying for journalism studies) put a little note into a glass bottle provided by his class teacher. The note contained his biggest wish - to become a radio newscaster. In a few years, after discovering an add, he was on his way to the newscaster competition, although he was still in high school at the time. He was noticed and invited to start reporting right away, because “newscasters are not robots”. And on February 16, 1968, Vidas Mačiulis began to work on television. Yes, it’s been 50 years since. TV show Krepšinio pasaulyje (In the basketball world) is 26 years old. If not a blog, this phenomenon could at least be called a protoblog. After sitting down with Vidas in a place that used to operate as gendarmerie during Tsar’s rule and now is a spot where Kaunas journalists gather, he told us more than we had time to ask. It’s not surprising that our respondent received the highest award in Lithuania for journalism Vincas Kudirka prize - in 2015 for his film about Arvydas Sabonis Atėjo... Sabas (Here comes... Sabas). The interview was also a masterclass. We agreed that the next time we’ll talk about television in Kaunas, but this interview is dedicated to basketball. Basketball, the diary of which this Kaunas resident has been writing, filming and recording in other different ways for almost 40 years. By the way, the position of Vidas Mačiulis is a guard. And from the new generation of basketball journalists, he values Donatas Urbonas the most. Greetings to him!
The other sixth player Kotryna Lingienė and Kęstutis Lingys Photos by Teodoras Biliūnas
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About time-out I saw the first basketball match when I was about thirteen. The USSR championship was taking place in a wooden playing-field outside, in front of Kaunas Institute of Physical Education (now the Lithuanian Sports University). Žalgiris was playing against Riga VEF. I was so affected by it that I couldn’t live without basketball after that. At the time, matches from the various places in USSR were broadcast over the radio. We would listen with my brother glued to the receiver. When I started working as a journalist, basketball wasn’t receiving much time on air, people were only informed about who played and who won. My dream as a journalist came true in the Kaunas Sports Hall in February 1979. There was an 8-team tournament. The two winners were to remain in the highest USSR league. That year was terrible for Žalgiris, there was a chance of losing. I wondered if I could help and decided to talk to the coach and players every morning of the tournament after the first training, “How will you play to defeat VEF today?” Coach Stepas Butautas decided it was a good idea. And you know how it usually went? Music was played before the game. But we started playing the recorded thoughts of the players, and that’s how men got motivated! And you know what? Žalgiris remained in the highest league! They only lost to VEF. Sportas then quoted Butautas, “We remained in the highest league only because of the sixth player.” Usually the audience is referred to as the sixth player, but in this case, they meant me, my “Time-out” jiffies. Now when people see me in Laisvės Avenue, they sing, “Krepšinio pasaulyje” (In the world of basketball) but back then they would shout “Time-out!” I organised those
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jiffies for ten years. I was the first to interview Vladas Garastas, who was being offered a coach position then. Later I came up with something new - started interviewing the audience. No one would leave for a smoke during breaks. But there was some censorship as well. Before one Žalgiris and CSKA match, Alexander Gomelsky said, “It’s one thing when you ask and a completely different when people do. Tell the audience I’ll answer their questions tomorrow, they can write them on pieces of paper.” There was a bunch of these pieces of paper! I started reading and - you know Lithuanians, “How long will Tkachenko serve in the Soviet Army?”, “Why do you hate Žalgiris?” I warned him before the game that the questions are harsh, but Gomelsky said he would answer all of them. After the third question - the audience was going crazy - he grabbed a microphone from me and said, “You see what a schemer Vidas Mačiulis is for asking such provocative questions?” And then he gave me back the microphone and left, while I remained alone in the packed arena. Next day, there was a meeting of the city committee bureau. I received a call and an invitation to talk, “Gomelsky was angry, we forbid your “Time-outs” in the Hall. You should know better what to ask.” And that’s all! On the next match, during a break, it was back to music. But I still attended the match. If I had to compare these times with the present - we lived as if in jail. But, oh well, the super final was close. Žalgiris versus CSKA. The second party secretary of the city’s committee called me, “Comrade Mačiulis, I apologise for our reaction. Gomelsky was wrong, and we really would like you to renew your “Time-outs.” I said, well, listen, I wasn’t doing it for money but for my own pleasure and I have principles – don’t want to do it anymore.
“But you should understand, what might happen. You entertained people, your voice calmed everyone down, and what if there’s some incident?” I said there’s police for that. “No, you must promise.” After a few days, I agreed. About the banned book In 1989, Pranas Majauskas, director of the Lithuanian Sports Museum, thought that it was necessary to summon the Lithuanian winners of the 1939 European Basketball Championship and to make a tournament on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary - by the way, next year will be the eightieth anniversary of both victory and Kaunas Sports Hall. I decided to publish a book about it, and we had agreed with the government that it will not contain any politics, although the Reform Movement had already started. There was this artist and regional researcher, Vytautas Gudelis, who was collecting information about basketball. I met him in the Sports Hall and suggested we publish a book. He gave me material, and I wrote it. I also included Antanas Smetona’s speech given during the opening of the Hall. I named the book
Halė, kurioje žaidė Lubinas ir Sabonis (A Hall where Lubinas and Sabonis Played). Back then, the books were supposed to be published through publishing houses, but we just went and printed 15 thousand of them in K. Požėla printing house under the name of Kaunas Sports Hall. On the eve of the solemn event, someone noticed that there’s no logo of any publishing house, there was no “blessing”, so we were unable to sell it! So, then we just gave it away. About THAT show In 1991, during the January events, Kaunas office took a relay after the television broadcast from Vilnius was suspended. I got into the Lithuanian Book of Records - I spent 12 hours in a studio. The TV equipment was turned on for three days, we were broadcasting to the whole of Lithuania. It all passed, including the August putsch. Then we “seized” the central TV program, established LTV2 and started broadcasting shows from Kaunas. We needed new shows! A show dedicated to basketball! In the end, the show premiered on the
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11th of January, 1992, at 10 p.m. It was a live show that lasted 2,5 hours. That evening, just before going on air, Arvydas Sabonis, former spokesperson of Žalgiris Arūnas Pakula and Žalgiris physical fitness trainer Aleksandras Kusauskas came back from Spain. They participated in all-stars’ day, where Sabonis played and won. That show featured fatal words of Kusauskas, “We congratulate Vidas Mačiulis with the first show about basketball and hope to have more of them.” So, I thought - why not? Next Sunday we had a second show and so on and so forth. To this day we have made 1087 shows. Everything I do comes from the heart. It doesn’t matter that Vilnius was not giving us money. But unfortunately, LTV2 survived only for a year. Later, the channel was bought by Litpoliinter and Kaunas was left without a television network. About the team Everyone is surprised that I continue to film. Why am I shooting? Because cameramen run, hurry and try to capture everything, but I search and see, for example, how Jasikevičius is goofing around and then I film only
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him, and make a completely different storyline. Or I notice that the audience is going wild. I would be unable to explain all that to the cameraman during the game. Cameramen change. I’ve worked with Česlovas Jankauskas, Henrikas Žiniauskas, Romas Špokas (R.I.P), Stasys Dargis, Vladas Dekšnys, with him I have probably worked the longest. Now I have been working with Kęstutis Bražiūnas for seven years, he is excellent, studied directing in Jonas Vaitkus’ class. The presentations are also filmed by Laisvūnas Karvelis. Just this weekend, we celebrated the marriage of his daughter (my granddaughter) who married Marius Grigonis. They were together for seven years with my Salomėja! Does the operator have to be a basketball fan? It doesn’t matter. What matters is that he’s good with the camera. I would joke about the fact that Laisvis filmed basketball, but never watched the shows, he couldn’t care less about it, but when Salomėja got engaged, Laisvis changed. He started catching online matches on
the internet where Marius played. He even sent me links to watch it. And, well, I can no longer publicly evaluate the national team because I will be accused of bias. About the orange balls: small, larger and not necessarily round In 1993 there was a team called Kauno Lavera. Its president Gintautas Verpetinskas bought me tickets to the US, where I spent two weeks and got into The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield for the first and probably the last time. T-shirts! Books! Souvenirs! I didn’t have much money so, I only bought two small balls. But they got worn down and also seemed a bit small. I found a bigger one. Now it’s probably my tenth ball. My car is also orange for a reason. I saw that Ford released this model, although I didn’t really want this big of a vehicle, the colour conquered my heart. My car was decorated by the same artist who created the DVD cover for Atėjo...Sabas. About the most memorable match 1998, Kaunas Sports Hall, if we lose, we are not going to the next stage. There was this player back then, Ennis Whatley. 3 seconds of the game were left, and he scored, and we won. For the first time I was unable to contain myself: ran over and hugged and kissed our players. But every single match, like every performance, has something special. When I had back surgery, I had to watch it on TV. It was so difficult! When I am at the Hall or arena, my palms never sweat, I feel like my presence help the men. I also film, work, which makes it easier to deal with stress, but at home, you’re sitting and feeling like you’re about to have a heart attack. About traditions I am a witness to how one beautiful tradition was started. When in the
fall of 2003 Sabonis started playing for Žalgiris, he was surprised that there’s music playing before the match while in NBA they always sing the anthem. So, then the anthem was sung by Virgilius Noreika in the Hall (I interviewed him) after him Kaniava... And now, look at how 15 thousand people sing it in the Žalgirio Arena. Tell me, where else people know it by heart like that? Everyone learned. You probably don’t know it, but the Euro league representatives wanted to prevent it because clubs contain people from various countries, they are not national teams, but how can you forbid it? They sang and will continue to sing. I think that this astonishment by Sabonis also inspired the fact that Lithuanians all over the world sing the national anthem on the 6th of July. But no one talks about it. About faith I can say one thing - basketball has made Lithuania famous, and Kaunas was made famous by Žalgiris. Third place in Europe! God helped, grandmothers pray, after all. I met one recently who said that she goes to the church every Sunday and then watches my show and prays for my health. About love At first, my wife Teklė Mačiulienė who has been working as a journalist all her life, like me - cared about basketball as much as my son in law. But she has not missed a single show of Krepšinio pasaulyje. A few years ago, my wife underwent complicated heart surgery. Back then, a critical match was taking place in the Arena, which we were close to losing. I return home, and I see: she’s all pale, the pulse is high, the heartbeat irregular... I had to take her to the hospital again. Why? Because of basketball...
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Marija Oniščik travelled from Moscow to Alytus in 1982 to work as an organist. After entering university, she settled in Kaunas. She received her doctorate in the Department of Philosophy at VMU - yes, music was replaced by philosophy. And after that came architecture. Mostly Kaunas, but not limited to it. Marija would love to travel more even if it’s in Lithuania. Although, in theory, she has researched almost all of it while preparing historical material for Stop juosta TV show (we interviewed its producers for the magazine, exactly a year ago - what a coincidence!). For now, Marija travels through her texts which she began putting on her blog two years ago. That is how they’re called - Marijos tekstai (Marija’s texts) and Marijos blogas (Marija’s blog).
Marija’s blog Kotryna Lingienė Photos by Donatas Stankevičius
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Starting with the publication on the history of the Department of Philosophy of the Vytautas Magnus University, Marija has written about much of Kaunas old and new towns since July 2016. “I want to describe the whole city,” she explains and adds that she doesn’t limit herself to the history of architecture and the city. After finishing the interview, we discussed the upcoming organ music concert. When we prepared this issue, Marija had already posted a detailed, precise and slightly sobering review of the show on her blog. We’d like to read more of such reviews, and not just about the organ. Even if you have no clue how an organ works and why, after reading her entry you will want to know. Marija, we’re waiting for new entries! But meanwhile, we converse about how and why Marija writes her blog.
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When we approved the topic of the month, it didn’t take us long to remember you – Marija’s blog is probably the only such blog about Kaunas. I still think that my blog is not a diary though. But I do write a journal sometimes, been doing it all my life. Especially when travelling - I always carry a notebook. In foreign and even very familiar towns you can make a new diary entry every time you visit. I have many notes like that. When I travelled more, I didn’t have a blog. It came to be after I stopped travelling when I lost my job and had no income, you could say out of trouble. When you can’t go out to see people, you can leave with the help of the internet. At first, I thought about posting the impressions on past travel experiences, but I realised that people don’t really care how Luxembourg, for example, looked like a few years ago. Before starting the blog, I had many texts about Paris, but now there are ten times more
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texts about Kaunas. It’s gratifying to know that some of my texts are published by the media. Only I don’t always like how texts are edited, broken down into sections with headlines and previews. I follow the idea that a blog is a place where you can publish all kinds of texts. Maybe that’s why I can’t sell some reviews because they don’t fit the norm. I want to write the way I want to write. I want to write reviews that I’d like to read myself, and not how editors or scholars require them to be. A blog is the best platform for that. It is not a diary because I am not writing it for myself. Although, even when writing for yourself you always wonder what will happen if someone at some point will read your secrets and what if you hurt someone. Only children probably don’t give much thought to that. Do you follow your blog’s readability? I don’t look for it on purpose, but when I upload new texts, the statistics show up. For example, the text about Vienybės Square was read by 3000 people or so! It will probably remain the most popular text of all time. Some little square in the Old Town attracts only around 70 readers. Well, people don’t really love the Old Town, they are not interested in it. I wonder why... Of course, I cannot be equally interesting and relevant to everyone. Do you want to describe the whole city? Yes, I want to describe the whole of Kaunas. But I have not been to many places yet, I have not seen much, I do not know everything. Vilijampolė, Žaliakalnis, Panemunė, Šančiai... You keep delaying it, and then you find out that someone has already demolished, repainted or built something interesting.
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How do you search for information? If I manage to meet people, that is, of course, nice, but I get the most help from the internet - although now I try to spend as little time there as possible and books. When reading about the history of Kaunas, I became acquainted with the works of all my former colleagues in history, which I hadn’t done before the blog! Then the history of architecture. I used to be an amateur, but now, after reading so many books in two years, I feel like a professional. Although, as far as I understand, the department does not recognise me as such. But what’s the use of that diploma anyway? Absolutely nothing. When I go to a job interview, they ask me, “Why did you bring this Talmud here?” Too much! Sometimes it seems to me that currently, the less educated you are, the easier it is to find a job. I mostly love reading memoirs. Somehow with them, it all ends up in the interwar period. In the past, people wrote fewer memoirs. Such books can provide a lot of useful information about who built what, and so on. For example, the green tile facade of this building that we’re sitting close to was finished in 1914. They managed to finish it right before World War I (we were sitting in Knygų ministerija, Laisvės Al. 29).
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Do you have something to recommend? Very few wrote specifically about Kaunas. But I always admire texts written by good writers. For example, Birutė Pukelevičiūtė’s memoirs Aštuoni lapai. What a style! It’s one of the best in Lithuanian literature. Such love for the city that you had to leave in your youth! I don’t like, for example, when someone gives too much prominence to themselves, but still, it’s a source of information. Therefore, I mostly like when addresses are listed, otherwise, I have nothing to take from it! Did reading help you learn Lithuanian? Of course. To write, it is necessary to read, and vice versa. I studied independently. One friend tried to teach, but he soon lost his patience with such a slow student. So, I picked up a textbook, but it was Soviet and amusing with such examples as, “Where is your party ticket?” I didn’t use it long. You do guided tours, right? Yes, I have so much knowledge, I want to share that information. I am also used to being a teacher. Last year some tourists booked me, but now it’s maybe too many free walks, and I want to earn money.
For example, I learned a lot about Lithuanian cities and small towns when preparing the material for the new season of Stop juosta TV show. It’s so exciting that I prepare more than they need. So, if anyone wanted tours to other cities, I’d be delighted to accompany them. I haven’t visited all the towns, and some of them I visited a long time ago, in the Soviet era, but I really have much to tell, and it would be useful to see them live again. Photos are not always enough, not to mention the possibility of meeting locals who can tell you a story or two on the spot. Probably the best texts are in the blog section Kaunas nykstantis ir išnykęs (The vanishing and extinct
Is there one street or a block in Kaunas where you feel best, where you can draw inspiration? Everything that’s related to historical Kaunas interests me. I imagine that Vilnius could also be interesting, but I don’t know anything about it. When you know everything it’s not so interesting to come back, although, of course, some new detail can always emerge unexpectedly. There is something to be found in every courtyard. That’s how Kaunas is - extremely interesting! I can tell you who my favourite architect is Vladimiras Dubeneckis. What do you like most about him? Warmth, realness. He was real, not trendy, not following orders. I am also fascinated by the apparent evolution of his works. He started with Čiurlionis, the temporary gallery, and finished there as well: passed away before its opening. As for favourite places, Owl hill is probably the warmest place for me in Kaunas. Primarily because of the buildings designed by Dubeneckis. By the way, they were the first public buildings in Kaunas after the First World War. I am glad that the aura remained. People greet you nicely when you visit the gallery. The employees love that building and can tell you a lot about it. And did you know that the fence was stolen from the 7th fort?
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I want to write the way I want to write. I want to write reviews that I’d like to read myself, and not how editors or scholars require them to be.
Kaunas), maybe you have ideas for new series? Yes, for example, I would like to organise, a series of walks around Žaliakalnis or the centre where people who live there would tell me the stories of their buildings. But sometimes I think maybe everyone already knows what I write, what am interested in? I am interested in how the city is changing; I observe when and what house is demolished, what stood in the place of this or that building. Sometimes I have to edit texts before giving them to the media, update the information.
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The screwed-up gear Paulius Tautvydas Laurinaitis Illustrations by Paulius GaurilÄ?ikas
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Some time ago a new ambiguously-titled page appeared on Facebook. Sumauta pavara (The screwedup gear) offered high-quality publications on the history of automobiles. This page is managed by two Kaunas residents - Paulius GaurilÄ?ikas and Aurimas Grinys.
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A.G. Paulius is the godfather of the project. I joined after a couple of weeks. I noticed the Screwed-up gear in my feed and decided to send a message. I read those few posts till the last sentence and then thought to myself - I should try it too. I wrote to Paulius just before Christmas of 2016 and made my debut as an online writer.
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What vehicle you would not accommodate in your garage and what car each of you would love to have? P.G. I wouldn’t buy the Soviet ones because why would I? The rest are ok.
A.G. Talking about lack, it can definitely be felt. Most automotive web pages focus on the latest car models and car sports, while the old cars remain forgotten. But they do interest many people.
P. G. Talking about favourites, I don’t pigeonhole, I like many models. But if I had to choose one, then it would be Citroën DS. I Don’t know if anyone ever made a more revolutionary automobile. Well, ok, the engine is terrible, but the rest is fantastic. Hydraulic suspension, when other machines were still with springs, etc. Indeed, the more you are interested in cars, the harder it is to choose between them because they all have interesting aspects.
How do you choose your topics? P.G. Well, they just pop in our minds, it would be hard to categorise us. It is our space where we can put anything that we just wrote. It’s no secret or surprise that during the interwar period Kaunas was the birthplace of Lithuanian motoring. The title followed Kaunas even during the Soviet era. Did you research the retrospective of our automotive history a lot? A.G. Quite a bit. I was interested in the work of Lithuanian-American company (AMLIT) as well as Kaunas bus factory (KAG). It’s strange that many don’t know that Kaunas was the centre of
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Lithuanian automotive industry. Well, a small centre, but nonetheless. What’s also interesting is that during the Soviet times in Kaunas almost everyone’s dad or grandfather had a car - almost a fantastical situation considering the rest of the USSR, where cars were luxury goods. So that’s how I started wondering about how this “motorised city” came to be. With time, I realised that Kaunas resident and a car is like... well, I better stop here [smiles].
P.G. The reality is such that this kind of thing would not survive on its own. Probably we will never have a high-level publication. So, it remains only for enthusiasts. But when writing you don’t think if there’s a lack or not, you just write.
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Let’s start with stereotypical questions: how and when did you get the idea to present the automotive history for the small, albeit loyal circle of enthusiasts? Did you see a niche in the lack of normal publications about automotive history?
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A.G. I agree with my colleague. Except maybe for Brazauskas’ Volga - would be curious to know where he took Kristina with it [smiles].
A.G. I would love to have a Jaguar E-Type. The most beautiful car ever made. I’d like the DS too. Besides, I feel great respect for Ford T, because if not this company, today a car would not be such an affordable product. A few weeks ago, the garage of the parliament announced a car auction. Were you tempted to get Česlovas Juršėnas’ Audi V6? A.G. It’s a four-wheel drive: people at the border can have it [smiles]. If
P.G. Juršėnas’ Audi 80 would fit in Grūto Park better. If you got the opportunity to create the Lithuanian Top Gear / Grand Tour under the license, what would the first episode be about? A.G. About our national cars: Audi 80, Audi A6, Volkswagen Golf, etc. I would also do the Top Gear comparative test - I can already imagine how Golf, full of water, is trying to prevail over Hammerhead. P.G. Another good show would be about the pimping of 80s Lada, but it’s difficult to find visual material. There was so much potential heritage: gear sticks with beetles inside made by prisoners, Kamei mudguard clones, bars on the rear windows of VAZ-2105, plastic door seals on VAZ 2108... A.G. ...the wheel discs are broadened by making one out of two, Blaupunkt tape on the back window, VAZ-2101 lights covered with flying saucers with a perfectly matching diameter. The guest of the show would definitely be Viga (Vygantas Pilipavičius, a celebrity of Kaunas car pimping scene of the 80s). You have already written a substantial number of articles. What do you currently consider to be your own Magnum Opus? A.G. My personal favourites would be about Žemaičių highway and about Gianni Agnelli - probably one of the most exciting personalities in the history of the automobile industry. P.G. I really don’t have one. It’s like with children, how can you choose which one is better. Aurimas is a better writer. I, as an engineer, maybe lack symbolic expressions.
A.G. Paulius is better at technical things. I would not be able to write so nicely about engine capacity or solidity of suspension. One of the most popular texts by Aurimas is about Žemaičiai highway and its potential. Tell us more about it. A.G. The though came very easily with my interest to Lithuanize American things. I decided that Lithuania should have its Route 66. A number of countries have their own national highway which has become an icon of local culture, and the most famous of them is this mentioned above. I thought to myself: why can’t Lithuania have its own road, perhaps included in a heritage list? And not just some road with a plate stating that “there was a road”, but a lively one, which you would be interested in taking. Tourists could drive through it, and we could make road movies on it. Then I remembered Žemaičių highroad and its significance in interwar Lithuania. Some time ago Paulius’ illustrations were very famous. The ones where Kaunas interwar architecture is portrayed with cars of the same era. How did you come up with that? P.G. I wanted to be a car designer. But in Kaunas of the 90s, when I graduated from high school, things were different than they are now. But love for good design and good drawings doesn’t die. So now, after many years, I decided to draw. And to learn how to draw, I tried connecting Kaunas modernism with cars of the time, the ones that were appropriate for the era and could have potentially existed in Kaunas then. That is how they were made, during the night because the day was reserved for other things. I hope we will see the day when all those buildings will be nicely restored.
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Juršėnas had driven a Volvo, it would be another story.
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Pranas Hiksa (1897–1966) was the first Lithuanian fighter pilot, motorist and engineer. His memoirs Gyvenimas kaip skrydis (Life as a Flight) published in 2016 is closer to the genre of adventure epic, “Curious reader will find out that P. Hiksa was on the watch of a legendary Russian cruiser Variaga that he was courted by a famous Russian merchant Morozov’s daughter Nina, photographed with Benito Mussolini, visited a gold “maker” from sand, Dunikovsky, had become a prince on his journey to Egypt and witnessed a performance of Josephine Baker - the first striptease dancer - in Paris.” (Domijonas Šniukas, p. 21)
24 notebooks of Pranas Hiksa Julija Račiūnaitė In the picture by Donatas Stankevičius – the house on K. Donelaičio st. 5 where the Hiksa family resided from 1955
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Pranas Hiksa intended to divide his memoirs into three volumes revealing his life as a pilot, motorist, and engineer. But, having failed to mention everything that was planned for the “engineer’s” volume, the author stops at the regular night-time interrogations that he had to endure during the post-war years. Documents, photographs and newspaper clips consistently collected by Hiksa and his family members, testify and complement history. As if in a retrospective diary, Hiksa very thoroughly describes many fun, weird and precious moments for Kaunas and Lithuania. Some of them are eclectically presented for those curious readers in this text. Pilot Pranas Hiksa, who was mobilised to the Imperial Russian Army during the World War I, served at the 23rd Aviation Unit deployed in Riga. At the end of 1916, the young pilot was sent to study at the St. Petersburg Aviation School, and in 1917, February-September studied in England. In 1919, P. Hiksa became the first Lithuanian fighter pilot to fight for Lithuania’s independence. He was awarded a Wings of Steel badge of honour for his merits to Lithuanian aviation. While serving in the Lithuanian air force, P. Hiksa suffered more than 20 different disasters and accidents. Here’s what he writes about some of them, “There, even though I was descending according to the rules and touched the ground gently, I suddenly stabbed it with the nose of the aeroplane at high speed and rolled over twice. I am glad I didn’t have a passenger scout with me - he would have met his maker. I, Myself, knowing what position I must take in such situations, got a scratch barely, only punched a few holes on
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the grass with my helmet. The plane fell to bits.” (p. 99) There were other accidents as well. Because of one such incident P. Hiksa’s friends, for a while jokingly called him a leg breaker, “Once, while dining at Versalis, one lady insisted on flying with me. I agreed. We set off to the aerodrome on foot. When we reached Aleksotas Bridge, the lady found a horseshoe. Without even looking at how the horseshoe was positioned on the ground, she took it and threw it into the Nemunas. I am very superstitious. I felt strange, even felt a pain shooting through my heart... The second cabin didn’t have a seat, so the lady had to stand. I thought that we won’t be in the air long, she may as well stand. I am flying over the Aleksotas Bridge. Around that place, where she threw away the horseshoe, I turn to look at Vilijampolė and see that my lady is lying down on the cabin ground holding onto her leg. It appears to have been broken. I turn back, land the plane and drive it towards the hangar. Apparently, she did break her leg... After this event, I was mocked for half a year, professedly I was breaking ladies’ legs. The worst was during various parties. They would say, “He’s breaking their legs and then going to dance.” (p. 106) Demonstrative flights helped Pranas Hiksa to become a publicly recognised pilot in Lithuania. While studying in Moscow and England, Hiksa became convinced that the public is most impressed by tricks done as close to earth as possible, the ones that blow the audience’s hats away. They were especially dangerous to the pilot because of the heavy and unsophisticated technology of the time. However, paying attention to the right wind, P. Hiksa would often carry out risky tricks. Once he
Our hero also sold Hudson cars! Picture from the album of P. Hiksa
sensationally flew “below the Town Hall and next to the nearby church towers” during a parade. (p. 114) Hiksa and his colleagues would come up with extremely inventive tricks for Kaunas aviation festivals, “Once in an aerodrome, about 100 meters from the audience, we stretched the linen screen between solid poles. Next to the screen, bottles were hanging from the ropes nailed to the top pole. They were reflected on the screen. I would descend and fly reasonably low between the audience and the screen, and my scout would shoot at the bottles from a toy gun, and the bottles would break, one after another. The public was fascinated with the sharp-shooting pilots. When all the bottles were broken after several flights, a soldier hiding behind the screen would come out -
he was the one smashing the bottles with a hammer. He would reveal the secret by breaking the remaining bottles.” (p. 115) In 1935, Pranas Hiksa, Vice President of the Lithuanian Aeronautical Club, was appointed to lead an “air train” consisting of a plane pulling a glider, and a helicopter. During this risky trip the pilots from Kaunas reached Riga, Tallinn and Helsinki, “When flying from Tallinn to Helsinki across the Gulf of Finland, I wanted to get into the helicopter with Garolis. After finding myself above the endless sea - even though I had a parachute and a lifebuoy - I didn’t feel as confident as I would on a plane. Upon return, above the same sea, I flew in a plane and then the sea didn’t make any impression on me.”
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On the way to the start of Monte Carlo Rally in Tallinn. Picture from the album of P. Hiksa
Motorist In 1931, at the initiative of his colleague Viktoras Vailokaitis, Pranas Hiksa became a member of the Lithuanian Auto club and in the same year participated and won the transitional Presidential Cup at the first race Around Lithuania. The motorist was able to repeat this success two years in a row. In 1933 and 1935, Hiksa has successfully participated in the prestigious Monte Carlo Rally. Among the impressive achievements of P. Hiksa we can find this one: a second prize was awarded to him for the most interesting photograph of the Monte Carlo rally (the author is P. Hiksa’s wife Irena Hiksienė, who travelled along with her husband). The picture depicts a racing car in a ditch, “... it’s nice that
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we recorded it in a photograph that won me a nice little vase. It was given to me by the prince of Monaco himself. It was nice to get an award for getting into a ditch. I thought to myself - many cars get into a ditch, but their drivers don’t get awards.” In addition to the best photo competition, the motorist describes another strange competition - the one to do with comfort, “Some cars had sleeping areas with a night bowl, an alarm clock, toiletries, heaters, thermoses, plates, knives, forks and snacks - all of it could be found in comfortable drawers.” (p. 217) During the tiring race, the crew needed to take extreme measures to maintain vigilance, “Snowstorms, fog, slippery roads, and most importantly the struggle against fatigue
and sleep was causing the most troubles in the Alps... Caffeine pills were not helping anymore. Wife would rub my head and temples with cologne. When it finished, she rubbed it with lemons and after they finished with oranges. My shoulders were covered in lemon and orange juice and pips, but I was still sleepy even when I drove at high speed!” (p. 227) In 1933, P. Hiksa represented Lithuania at the international Rome-Cairo Auto club Conference. During the conference, while on a trip from Brindisi to Alexandria, for a few days, the motorist had to live with the inadvertently acquired status of the prince, “The stewards of a steamboat and restaurant waiters started referring to me as “your highness” and “prince”. It turns out that in addition to three princes travelling the first class, there was also a one prince Hiksa listed on a passenger list. And it happened because I, Pranas Hiksa, was listed as Pr. Hiksa in the conference documents. On a steamboat, someone made a mistake and added a c - Prc. Hiksa - prince Hiksa. Of course, I explained that this was a mistake, but the mistake was not corrected for two days. It cost me a lot because a prince must leave more tips.” (p. 179) Engineer In 1928, Pranas Hiksa finished his studies in Prague. He obtained an engineer’s degree, “I joined the agricultural technical department of the Russian Agricultural Cooperation. I could not attend the lectures regularly, so I agreed with the best students that they will share their notes with me. After that, we (4-5 people) would meet in my room and read it all. I would repay my friends with cash or taking them to cafes, wine or regular bars... The school was going great. The knowledge gained at the Moscow Driver’‘ Training Course,
the Petrograd Aviation School, the English Aviation School and the long-standing practice of an engineer definitely helped.” (p. 130) After returning from the Czech Republic to Lithuania, the engineer worked at the Metal Factory in Kaunas. Interestingly, Hiksa getting the engineer’s position in the Metal factory was influenced by Jonas Vailokaitis passion for opera, “I went to see my cousin, and she says to me, “Jonas Vailokaitis is going to all the premieres. Tomorrow there will be one as well. Go there, meet him and you will get a job.” So that is what I did. Vailokaitis asked me what I was doing, how was life. I told him that I was unemployed. Vailokaitis then declared that he needs an engineer for the director’s position in the Metal factory.” (p. 144) At the very beginning of the memoirs, the author introduces the reader to the story of the book’s birth. Supposedly, he was prompted to write the memoirs by the conversation with the former dean of Kaunas Polytechnic, Leonas Gastilas. During the conversation, P. Hiksa intended to convince the dean to help him implement an old dream of constructing a car-airship, “that could be used for flying as well as driving on land.” (p. 22). The dean tried to talk him out of it, and at the end of their conversation recommended that he write his memoirs. When he returned to the dean after a few days, P. Hiksa promised to describe his entire life and to mention at the end of the last volume how the dean “helped” the engineer to implement his idea. The dean’s enthusiasm for publishing these memoirs soon faded. Affected by the scepticism of scientists, the engineer narrowed it down to the sketches of the flying automobile. But his memories were described in the 24 notebooks.
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The twofaced people of Instagram: modern-day diaries Daniela Natale and Ugnė Stankevičiūtė
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In the past, a diary was a very personal collection of experiences and notes, locked or hidden from the people around you, but now it can be easily found on Instagram, locked only with a request that would allow access to the private content. Although people who are not directly involved with social media associate Instagram with superficiality, egocentrism and a desire to show off, generation Y, whose online life is equal to the real one, find a lee here and niches with their specific communities.
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It’s 12.30 a.m., and you‘re sitting on the bed crying in the dark because you don’t feel Call Me By Your Name as your friends do. Suddenly, your face lights up with joy - you can write a post about it on your second account, where your almost unmotivated outburst of emotions driven by teen hormones will collect at least 8 likes. In the end, it is not as trivial or miserable as it may sound. When the aesthetics of the photos and their consistency became a priority, the digital persona began to represent the real person. That attracted more followers, and less space was left for content without a picture. Processed and refined photographs gained more importance because people feel uncomfortable sharing bad photos or very personal experiences and opinions in front of a large audience that didn’t really ask for it. Because of this publicity, many feel unsafe, and an almost desperate wish to confirm one’s humanity emerges in a space that seems to allow only a certain image to exist. This created a compromise that allows you to choose a comfortable place between privacy and publicity. It’s a second private Instagram profile (finsta) created in parallel to the public Instagram profile, which is only available to those whom the owner of the profile trusts. Yet another trend in the past, now started to take on a serious role in many young people‘s lives. Aesthetics don‘t play a huge role in it, and the author is not obliged to worry about what’s beautiful and what’s not. What they want to say is more important than what they want to show. R.: „To be free from the persona created on the main account.“
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According to the law of sociology the smaller the group of people, the more intimacy it contains but there is almost no security. Finsta accounts partially destroy the second part of this law - dissociation provided by internet and indirect contact with the audience makes this small group of people (usually up to a 100) safe, or at least that’s what the owners of these accounts want to believe. Since the content is only available to a tiny audience, it is easy to control the readers of the blog - there is trust. Although these readers know each other - friends, common acquaintances - and most of them are really interested in this diary and the author’s personality and everyday life, there is always a threat that a friend with access to the profile will reveal the “secret” information. The problem of disseminating information is the loophole in this public blog that allows you to think about security in a social space. You can only hope for the best and trust your followers, but also remain careful about your content. This is very typical of such profiles because then, consequently, friendship can be defined precisely by them. Refused request to follow a profile signifies distrust and unwillingness to communicate with someone outside the first Instagram account, and vice versa - if a barely known person from “beyond” the Instagram requests to follow the secret profile, and the owner agrees to let him in it means there is a mutual wish to establish a closer relationship and to know each other better. It is worth mentioning that very often the followers of second profiles are other people’s finsta profiles. That is how close communities form on a private Instagram wall. It’s a common discussion, a public conversation about the most intimate experiences. These digital
friend groups could be considered a separate subculture.
apparent rebuke directed towards the established rules.
E.: One for yourself, one for others
R.: It seems like I have a blog known only to the closest people so I can be very open.
D.: I am more interested in communication with followers who find me interesting. It’s simply a much narrower circle of people to whom I can say things and who answer instead of indifferently checking the main profile. However, all accounts share the same principal and use the same rhetoric when uploading the photos. Often finsta accounts are full of sarcasm and self-deprecation. Their owners often react to situations - in both real life and social media - which may appear absurd and not worthy of any other reaction but irony. Sometimes there’s an
Through the use of sarcasm and self-deprecation, finsta authors are dealing with both domestic difficulties and issues that sometimes are harder to notice. They react to unsatisfactory appearance, academic, professional and relationship failures. It’s a breath of fresh air to those who find failure more an exception rather than a rule. It gives a chance to minorities who may be shy to express themselves in the broader spaces of social networks. At times, finsta authors question their sexual orientation, openly discuss fitting in the society and family and, without even knowing, encourage others to get out of the closet also amplifying specific nuances that an outsider
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E.: It’s a more closed group, where I don’t feel the pressure to present myself at my best.
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doesn’t find relevant, even though they are a part of everyday life like any other. Another sensitive group of people who finds refuge in finsta space are those who resonate with body positive and new wave feminist movements that are destroying misogynistic stereotypes rooted in traditions. For example, girls oppose the requirement to occupy less space in public places; they refuse to be considered objects and don’t allow others to devalue their potential. This manifests through photos that unapologetically depict traditionally imperfect body shapes, stretch marks, body hair and acne.
A.: I wanted to express myself somewhere because I speak continuously ... This is the space where people come to unburden themselves so no one will judge you. However, such an approach to dealing with emotional difficulties may also be toxic. Very quickly, the author might think that updating a finsta profile can be used as a means for coping with emotional troubles, but this detachment from reality is deceptive because the issue is not resolved but simply put aside. The tendency to flee from oneself becomes obvious not only when talking about the choice to impulsively and directly unburden yourself in your profile instead of trying to actually understand your internal state. Other people’s complaints and failures posted on a finsta wall also divert the user’s attention; therefore, it is possible to say that finsta account can quickly become an illusion of problem-solving and the attempt to get rid of emotional baggage through posts - a habit that’s hard to shake off. I.: … there came a moment when I was no longer posting for myself, but for someone else. I started wondering whether I really needed it anymore.
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Discontent with your current situation accumulates energy that, one way or the other, transforms into stress or negative emotions, therefore, the possibility to let it all out on a finsta profile by writing a few paragraphs under a photo or video merely articulating some thoughts partially protects from the accumulation of these negative emotions and destructive behavior against yourself and the people around you.
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However, these accounts provide comfort. They offer more than an opportunity to unburden yourself and talk about the issues important to you; it’s not just shouting into an empty space, as the social networks may often look like. Due to the discussed closeness of the community, the followers usually sincerely care about the author’s life. Constant interconnection is maintained; therefore, the author receives response and comfort; he is given the idea that he’s not isolated or the only one going through such a situation. It provides comfort for both parties. G.: It’s a kind of therapy, in a way. People can complain and get attention, they feel that they have people to talk to.
While the main Instagram profile is dedicated to the public persona, the finsta profile is a space with unfiltered content. Most driven youngsters on finsta profiles naturally learn the basic - but sometimes ignored - law of changing the world:
you have to start with yourself. To be able to take actions leading to progress, you first need to articulate problems that prevent you from moving forward, and that safe, locked Instagram account space gives you the chance to do precisely that. A.: Well, metaphorically... for me, the second profile is a draft and the main one a clean copy.
The collective that inspired and put together this story are the graduates of Kaunas 2022 program “Kaunas Challenge”. They have just received funding for a new publication about youth in Kaunas - can’t wait to read it.
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Community’s trust and not being committed to the content aesthetics creates an environment that seems safe: there is no shame, taboo or old stigma. People are not worried about appearing vulnerable, all emotions are accepted. People can cry here, get angry or annoyed about all that irritate them. In other words, the second account is a kind of rebellion against the superficiality of the Instagram culture. These accounts provide courage to young people to talk about themselves, gain more confidence and in turn pass it to others because posts are public, but the author has enough control to feel comfortable while doing that. Finsta accounts become the first step towards self-acceptance.
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The picture was taken in the Folkas bar located in the courtyard of Kaunas City Museum Folk Music Department on L. Zamenhofo g. 12
Merkurijus
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Once, Merkurjus was the leading department store in Kaunas where everyone wanted to do their shopping. Now neither it nor any other store that contains the most exciting things made in Kaunas, exist anymore. That is why we have this section, which travels each month to a new place in Kaunas and lists the freshest catch there.
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In August, you will definitely find our magazine in the newest bar in Kaunas, opened at the end of July in the courtyard of the Folk Music Department of Kaunas City Museum. For now, Folkas operates as an outdoor bar, and in winter it will move to the basement. Why Folkas? Because of folk music. You will be able to find more connections with the recently updated museum that offers so much more than exhibitions after sitting down under the massive maple of Folkas. By the way, bar manager Dovydas Mikalauskas gladly agreed to be the model of Merkurijus.
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Liudas Mažylis T-shirt €49,90 Kaunas central bookstore, Laisvės al. 81
Liudas Mažylis, the professor from Kaunas who gave Lithuanians the gift of the Centennial - the Independence Act found in Berlin - is a real hero of our times, with a knitted sweater recognised by everyone. Designer Aleksandras Pogrebnojus put the patterns of Mažylis’ sweater on a T-shirt. Maybe it will become the talisman of other explorers.
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€11,50 Tūkstantis ir viena knyga bookstore, Vilniaus g. 11 Illustrator Kotryna Žukauskaitė working under Kata Kiosk brand, continually updates her Inspired by Lithuania series. We just couldn’t resist this poster (there’s also a postcard!) commemorating this historical, but relevant vehicle. Unfortunately, it had stopped this summer. Hopefully not for long.
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Book Įdomiausios kelionės po Lietuvą (The most exciting tours around Lithuania) €19,99 Kaunas central bookstore, Laisvės al. 81
Founder of Terra Publica publishing house, photographer and a sincere lover of Lithuania Vytautas Kandrotas has organised a second and thicker by onethird edition of the guide. Dedicated to the Centennial, it guarantees exciting excursions for at least a few years to come. And with 1600 objects to see!
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Candlestick Raitūzai €54 Salon Minimalistas, Pilies g. 1
Minimalistas inspires artists to design extraordinary interiors, in which you like to stay every day, and it does more than sell other works by other designers. These candlesticks designed for the salon (the series include a mirror too) were born while renovating one flat in Laisvės alėja. It’s excellent that designer Evelina Kudabaitė found this way to preserve the almost extinct part of history - decorative wall elements made of plaster.
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Calendar Exhibitions 07 13 – 08 30
Exhibition “Porcelain Identity”
Kaunas Bone China Symposium started in 1991, inspired mostly by the bone china factory “Jiesia”. During the symposium, its participants were introduced to bone china and its various processes. Through discussions, research, mistakes and discoveries, the participants created the concept of the exhibition. Both a personal and group vision of porcelain identity was born.
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Exhibition “Kauno ponios ir ponai: XX a. 3–4 dešimtmečio stilius” [“The Ladies and Gentlemen of Kaunas: Style of the 1920s and 1930s”] Kaunas City Museum in the Town Hall, Rotušės a. 15
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M. Žilinskas Art Gallery, Nepriklausomybės a. 12
Brought to Kaunas by French Institute in Lithuania, the photography exhibition presents the diversity of the country’s architecture, nature and traditions. France is much more than Eiffel Tower or Versailles - there’s a vast array of peculiarities waiting to be discovered.
07 17 – 08 31
Exhibition “Prancūzija: kraštovaizdžio įvairovė” [“France: Diversity of Landscape”] Kaunas County Public Library (room 406.), Radastų g. 2
The mobile exhibition takes you back to the interwar period and invites to take a look at how the residents of Kaunas used to dress back then. Both historical photographs and style magazines from the era present both stars and everyday people. Pet-friendly places
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August 07 19 – 08 24
Exhibition: “Atlaidai” [“Pilgrimages”] Kaunas Gallery, Vilniaus g. 2
Romualdas Požerskis took photos of pilgrimages in 1974–2001 and visited various places of Žemaitija and Dzūkija, but a sense of wonder, a new perspective of the world remained throughout his series of photos. Požerskis discovered valuable signs of time from the documentary point of view not only in the sacral but also in the more earthly process of pilgrimages: interaction between different generations, preparing for ceremonies and celebration when they end. 07 25 – 08 24
Exhibition of photography and ceramics Contemporary Art and Science Centre, Sandėlių g. 7 A new gallery opened by the Kaunas Adult and Youth Learning Centre in Šančiai neighbourhood presents a handful of artists including photographers and ceramists.
07 31 – 08 21
Exhibition “I Love NY”
Museum of Lithuanian Education History, Vytauto pr. 52
Iridijus Švelnys, a Kaunas-based photographer, presents his lesser-known passion for street photography in this exhibition. Black and white life of the streets of New York and the people that fill those streets present the essence of the city.
Music Wednesday, 08 01, 7 pm
“Cool People Playing Strange Music” Kaunas Artists’ House, V. Putvinskio g. 56
“Synaesthesis”, a contemporary music ensemble assembling some of the most original young Lithuanian musicians, is bringing an exciting programme, reflective of international contemporary music tendencies. The provocatively titled programme points to the image associated with contemporary music in Lithuania and also suggests an outlook representative of contemporary classical music.
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Calendar Thursday, 08 02, 7 pm
Live: “Parranda Polar“
“Volfas Engelman” studio terrace, Kaunakiemio g. 2
The passions of the Spanish operetta zarzuela will take place at the Kaunas State Philharmonic Hall performed by Spanish artists Nuria Garcia (soprano), Manuel De Diego (tenor), pianist Carlos Aragon and Lithuanian singer Eglė Strumskytė (soprano). Wednesday, 08 08, 7 pm
Live: Kostas Smoriginas
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Hospitality complex “Monte Pacis”, T. Masiulio g. 31
Three kids managed to pack up the whole of cumbia heritage and bring it to Lithuania. The band has received thousands of hugs during their few years of existence, and they’ve thought thousands of Lithuanians how to dance. Saturday, 08 04, 5 pm
Sung poetry is huge in Lithuania; this very night in the linden alley of Pažaislis monastery complex is dedicated to the biggest sung poetry festival in Anykščiai region. The vibe of the purple nights will be created by Kostas Smoriginas, the legendary theatre and cinema actor and director. Thursday, 08 09, 8 pm
Live: “Solo Ansamblis” Old Town Pier
Pažaislis Music Festival: „Viva Zarzuela“ Kaunas State Philharmonic Hall, L. Sapiegos g. 5
Hop into a barge in Nemunas and give a round of applause for “Solo Ansamblis”, one of the hippest indie slash synth slash post everything bands in the country. Warm up by the leader of “ba.”, the kings of indie.
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August Sunday, 08 12, 4 pm
Pažaislis Music Festival: “Epitalamos. Baroko metamorfozės” [“Epitalamos. Baroque Metamorphoses”] National M. K. Čiurlionis Museum of Art, V. Putvinskio g. 55
“RAMuzika“ ensemble will perform the music of Francesco Gasparini, Giovanni Battista Bassani, Giovanni Bononcini, Francesco Durante, George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, Antonio Vivaldi and Johann Sebastian Bach. Wednesday, 08 15, noon
Pažaislis Music Festival: Assumption of Mary Pilgrimage in Pažaislis
Pažaislis monastery, T. Masiulio g. 31 For many years the music festival, together with Sisters of St Casimir Congregation of Lithuania, have been inviting the residents and guests of Kaunas to spend the feast day of the Assumption of Mary, called Žolinės in Lithuanian, together. Kaunas State Choir will perform its special programme for the occasion.
Sunday, 08 19, 4 pm
Carillon Music Summer Concert Series
Vytautas the Great War Museum garden, K. Donelaičio g. 64 The Kaunas Carillon concerts are held every Sunday and on public holidays this summer. This time it’s Julius Vilnonis who will be playing the instrument. Sunday, 08 26, 2 pm
Concert “Parko muzika” [“Music in the Park”] Kalniečiai park
Brass orchestra “Ąžuolynas” have been busy playing at the parks of Kaunas this summer. Bring your picnic set and be ready to dance to the groove. Sunday, 08 26, 8 pm
Roger Waters “Us+Them” tour “Žalgirio” arena, Karaliaus Mindaugo pr. 50
Thursday, 08 16, 9 pm
Live: “Octopussy”
Club “Lemmy”, Girstupio g. 1 The dark and heavy music venue is back from a well-deserved vacation. Come to say hi and listen to “Octopussy”, a rock’n’roll/stoner rock/blues/southern rock band from Poland.
Roger Waters’ of Pink Floyd legendary live performances are renowned as immersive sensory experiences featuring high class, state-of-the-art audiovisual production and breath-taking quad sound. This new tour has proved to be no exception.
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Calendar Wednesday, 08 29, 5 pm
Pažaislis Music Festival: “Nepriklausomybės gimimas” [“The Birth of Independence”]
The festival is back to the 19th-century fort, this time to celebrate the Centenary of the Restoration of the State. Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra and Kaunas State Choir will perform “The Birth of Independence” by Kaunas-based composer Vidmantas Bartulis. Thursday, 08 30, 7 pm
“GM Gyvai”: “Bani” “Adform” courtyard, Rotušės a. 20
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Kaunas Fortress 6th Fort, K. Baršausko g. 101
rich voices of men of the Georgian folk band “Bani”. Sunday, 09 02, 6 pm
Pažaislis Music Festival: Roko opera “Eglė” Pažaislis monastery, T. Masiulio g. 31
The closing concert of the 23rd festival will present the rock opera “Eglė” by Laimis Vilkončius performed by the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, Kaunas State Choir and exceptional soloists.
Cinema Thursday, 08 02, 8 pm
“Garsinės peržiūros”: “Sekmadienio žmonės” [“Sound screenings”: “People on Sunday”] Kaunas Artists’ House, V. Putvinskio g. 56
Georgia has a vibrant choir culture; the polyvalent singing is unique due to three voice technique, and all Georgian song and dance culture is very rich and versatile. The choir singing is one of the things that reflect national Georgian authenticity and is recognised by UNESCO as a world’s masterpiece of polyphony. You will be introduced to this tradition by seven
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The series is creating dialogues between silent cinema and live music performances. Directed by Robert Siodmak and Edgar G. Ulmer, “People on Sunday“ (“Menschen am Sonntag“, 1930) follows the lives of a group of twenty-somethings in Berlin on one summer’s Sunday during the interwar period. The music is composed and performed live by Lithuanian experimental jazz band “Sheep Got Waxed”.
More events pilnas.kaunas.lt
August Friday, 08 03, 10 pm
“Open-air Cinema”: “Loving Pablo” Courtyard of “Romuva” cinema, Kęstučio g. 62
Directed by Erik Poppe, the film focuses on the tragedy struck Norway on July 22, 2011. First with the bomb in the government quarter, then the terrorist attacked the youth at the AUF summer camp on Utøya. The characters in the movie are fictional to respect the victims. In Norwegian with Lithuanian subtitles. Thursday, 08 08, 7 pm
Film “Dwie Korony” [“Two Crowns”] 9th fort museum, Žemaičių pl. 73
The movie chronicles the rise and fall of the world’s most feared drug lord Pablo Escobar (Javier Bardem) and his volatile love affair with Colombia’s most famous journalist Virginia Vallejo (Penélope Cruz) throughout a reign of terror that tore a country apart. Wednesday, 08 08, 9:45 pm
“Open-air Cinema”: “U – July 22”
Courtyard of “Romuva” cinema, Kęstučio g. 62
Polish St. Maximilian Kolbe’s life which he offered for the life of another person in Auschwitz - is recounted in the fictional and documentary-style film by Michał Kondrat. The movie about an exceptional person gathered a cult following in his home country. In Polish with Lithuanian subtitles.
More events pilnas.kaunas.lt
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Calendar Thursday, 08 09, 7 pm
Kaunas IFF Film Club: “Wajib”
Kaunas culture centre “Tautos namai”, Kęstučio g. 1
at the 90th Academy Awards. Directed by Nabil Ayouch. In Arabic and French with Lithuanian subtitles. Friday, 08 17, 9:15 pm
“Open-air Cinema”: “Khook” [“The Pig”]
Kaunas IFF Film Club continues the tradition to present the most exciting works of female film directors. “Wajib” by one of the most known representatives of Arab new cinema wave Annemarie Jacir closely analyses traditions of Palestine and provokes to reconsider family values. In Arabic with English and Lithuanian subtitles.
The black comedy film scratching the Instagram-era wounds, directed by Mani Haghighi, premiered in the 68th Berlin International Film Festival. In Farsi with Lithuanian subtitles.
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Courtyard of “Romuva” cinema, Kęstučio g. 62
Friday, 08 10, 9:30 pm
“Open-air Cinema”: “Razzia” Courtyard of “Romuva” cinema, Kęstučio g. 62
The 2017 Moroccan film compiled of five different stories is set in Casablanca (the movie Casablanca is frequently mentioned, too) was selected as the Moroccan entry for the Best Foreign Language Film
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Wednesday, 08 22, 9 pm
“Open-air Cinema”: “Walk with me” Courtyard of “Romuva” cinema, Kęstučio g. 62
The meditative film is about a community of Zen Buddhist monks and nuns who have dedicated their lives to mastering the art of mindfulness with their world-famous teacher Thich Nhát Hanh.
August Thursday, 08 22, 7 pm
Kaunas IFF Film Club: “The Connection”
Kaunas culture centre “Tautos namai”, Kęstučio g. 1
Nico, the former singer of The Velvet Underground, grapples with addiction and personal demons in the road movie by Susanna Nicchiarelli that only premiered last month in Germany.
Other events Saturday, 08 04, all day long
KAH Residencies: “RättBuss Express” A group of heroin addicts wax philosophically about life and death while waiting for their dealer to arrive. The film is an open look at the drug subculture and value system from an off-Broadway play by Jack Gelber. Shown out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival, Shirley Clarke’s first feature received standing ovations.
Friday, 08 31, 9 pm
“Open-air Cinema”: “Nico, 1988”
Courtyard of “Romuva” cinema, Kęstučio g. 62
Kaunas Artists’ House, V. Putvinskio g. 56
On the first weekend of August, a culture club on wheels will park its 15-m long bus in the yard of Kaunas Artists’ House. A collective of activists will engage in discussions about alternative art practices and the problematics of tourism and capitalism. You’ll be invited to create an alternative tourism zine and participate in a performative tour called “Kaunastones”, led by resident artist Zan Hoffman (USA). Soul pop band “Lady Blue Beard” will make sure the visit won’t be finished without a party.
More events pilnas.kaunas.lt
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Calendar Saturday, 08 04, noon
Eiguliai Day
Eiguliai, a micro-district off the beaten tourist path, are celebrating the neighbourhood day and everyone’s invited. Workshops of concrete, clay and sculpture, fountain stories, music and new friends - what’s not to like? Encouraged by Fluxus Labs, the community programme of Kaunas 2022.
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Chechnya Square, P. Lukšio g.
Wednesday, 08 09, 7 pm
„TẽKA: [re]ANIMACIJA“ launch Nemunas island
Saturday, 08 25, all day long
Idea festival “Laisvės piknikas” [“Freedom Picnic”] Nemunas island
Organised by independent journalist Andrius Tapinas, the idea festival is still quite a new tradition - but hey, it attracted thousands of attendees and presenters last year. Political debates, NGOs, education, emigration, immigration - there’s no topic too severe for this event. Enough of fun and attractions guaranteed as well. Saturday, 08 25, 3 pm
Book presentation: “Laimės punktyru pasiuvinėtas“ by Osvalda Ivanauskienė Maironis Lithuanian Literature Museum, Rotušės a. 13
“TẽKA” is collective of like-minded artists, architects and other creative types that would love to see the river banks of Nemunas (Neris, too) full of life again. The collective is inviting you to the launch of their newest creation - a river expeditor.
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The presentation of the Lithuanian poetry book by Osvalda Ivanauskienė will be enriched by a music performance. Flutist Vilmantė Kaziulytė and pianist Kristina Ivanauskaitė are preparing a special programme.
More events pilnas.kaunas.lt
August Sunday, 08 26, 10 am – 2 pm
“Uodas” flea market
Kaunas Sports Hall, Perkūno al. 5
The creative team behind the poetry book will join the author at the presentation (in Lithuanian). Expect a classical guitar concert by Valdemaras Mikuckis, too. Monday, 09 03, 5 pm
This flea market is tailored for families, big or small, new or experienced. Toys, clothes and everything else your children have outgrown can be sold here. Bought, too.
Book presentation: “Ponia iš Venecijos tavernos” by Vidmantas Valiušaitis Maironis Lithuanian Literature Museum, Rotušės a. 13
Tuesday, 08 28, 6 pm
A league: FC “Kauno Žalgiris” – FC “Atlantas” S. Darius ir S. Girėnas stadium, Perkūno al. 5
The World Cup might be over, but there’s always a game of football out there. The local team is looking forward to meet their rivals from Klaipėda. Thursday, 08 30, 5 pm
Book presentation: “Jeigu” by Raimonda Mikuckytė Maironis Lithuanian Literature Museum, Rotušės a. 13
The author will attend the event, as well as the author of the introductory article, professor emeritus of VDU and University of South Carolina Kęstutis Skrupskelis. In Lithuanian.
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pilnas.kaunas.lt
“Kaunas again. Its images follow me constantly in my thoughts, dreams and memories. Kaunas in 1936–1939. Kaunas with melting piles of snow on Juozapavičius Avenue, Šančiai hall and Saturnas cinema. Kaunas with chrysanthemums and candles flickering in the sleet on the All Saints’ night. Kaunas of Sundays with singing soldiers returning from the church. Kaunas in the twilight with gigantic photos of Jeanette Macdonald and Nelson Eddy on film posters during snowfall... “ September 1, 1960 Alfonsas Nyka-Niliūnas, Diary fragments, Baltos lankos, Vilnius, 2002
KAUNAS FULL OF CULTURE Monthly newspaper about personalities and events in Kaunas (free of charge)
Laisvės alėja 59, third floor
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Authors: Andrejus Bykovas, Artūras Bulota, Austėja Banytė, Bernadeta Buzaitė, Daniela Natale, Donatas Stankevičius, Eglė Šertvyčūtė, Emilija Visockaitė, Gunars Bakšejevs, Julija Račiūnaitė, Kotryna Lingienė, Kęstutis Lingys, Paulius Tautvydas Laurinaitis, Reda Tomingas, Tautė Bernotaitė, Teodoras Biliūnas, Ugnė Stankevičiūtė. Patrons:
KAUNO MIESTO SAVIVALDYBĖ
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ISSN 2424-4481 2424-4465
Leidžia: Publisher
2018 2017No. Nr. 82 (36) (18)