J. (by Madli Maruste)

I approached Vilnius with a lot of questions. I tried to understand the multicultural past and present of the city that has been previously known by the Jewish people as Vilna and by the Polish as Wilno. I soon realised that I had too many questions within a very limited time and it is impossible to get answers to all of these during my one week stay in Vilnius. I decided to stop demanding answers, let go of control and let the city talk in it`s own way to me.

The next night I met with a person, someone who opened a door to Vilnius I did not know much about before. I realised talking to him that through one lifestory city`s history, language and identity can reveal themselves in a unique way. I decided to do my project about our interaction. For me the text I wrote and the photos I took represented the past that might still haunt the people after decades. The life narratives of a lot of people living in Vilnius were cut through so suddenly and aggressively during World War II, and the character of the city changed completely.

When someone`s roots are cut, then the routes in his life are disrupted as well. The city becomes a place to hide, but at the same time a place that haunts. The city is like a labyrinth of all the memories of people, who used to live there, but it is also a lost love letter to hopes and dreams that never materialised. When one ethnic group loses the places in the city that used to be the cornerstones of their identity, they might always feel homeless. Is it possible to fill this void in the soul? Can the city give them shelter and understanding, or is it hostile towards people who are the reminders of the layered history and sad secrets of a nation?

(text by Madli Maruste)

J. from Madli Maruste on Vimeo.

Urban Rhythms (by Andrei Karpeka)

It is about different rhythms which form the cityscape of Vilnius. Some of them are not recognizable, too routine to be noticed. Others interrupt them, they reflect the pace of people who animate the streets. It's the rhythms people are aware of, the ones which could make you stop and give up for some moment your initial plans. Those actions, which make the city's face.

Here's the documentatioin of the live video performance:

urban rhythms (documentation) from verabej on Vimeo.

Performed by Andrei Karpeka during LitPro Summer School on 17.08.2012 @ foos-in club, Vilnius

Street Komoda on TV!

Belsat TV's report about Street Komoda project, realized during LitPro Summer School "City, Language, Identity".

Street art in Minsk

 It`s a pity that this is photoshop:
Mensk razmaljoyka

The Street Komoda is launched!
U can see many nice pictures in facebook album :)

Here some other pictures:

(more pics below)

StreetKomoda facebook

And that's the facebook fanpage. If you're there, then like us!!!
Lot's of pictures and news :)

https://www.facebook.com/StreetKomoda

Gatvės Komoda pradės veikti šiandien

Draugai ir praeiviai, Gatvės Komoda pradės veikti šiandien, nuo 14.3o. Ją rasite prie Gedimino 9, iš fontanų pusės. Ši vieta skirta dalinimuisi: suradę daiktą gatvėje arba norėdami pasidalinti kokiu nors daiktu su kitais, palikite jį Komodoje. Taip pat galite pasiimti
patikusį daiktą. Komoda yra geros dušios vilniečių, gatvės
menininkų, miesto sociologų ir antropologų bendradarbiavimo
rezultatas:) Tikimės, ji jus nudžiugins netikėtais radiniais!

Dear friends & passers-by, Street Komoda is going to be installed
at Gedimino 9 (by the fountains) today at 14.30. It's a place for
sharing: you can leave items you found on the streets or at home
and also search for the goodies left in Komoda. Street Komoda is
a result of cooperation of many people from various countries, so we hope you will enjoy the findings and treasures inside the Komoda! :)