In May–June 2025, the Pabradė City Cultural Centre hosted the exhibition “Sometimes I feel like a dandelion in the wind that has been blown into the water. I probably shouldn’t be in the water, but here I am”, organised by the Goethe-Institut and the arts agency Artscape. The exhibition invited visitors to hear voices that often go unnoticed – those of people living in the Pabradė Refugee Reception Centre.
We spoke with the exhibition’s architect and scenographer, Robert Ilgen, about how space can tell stories, change perspectives, and become a form of social commentary.
How did the process of creating the exhibition begin – where did you start when looking for a scenography concept?
Last year, we had the opportunity to collaborate with Artscape in organising Refugee Week in Vilnius. It was a truly meaningful experience – working with a team of dedicated and professional creators on a socially relevant project. So, at the beginning of this year, we were delighted to be invited to design the scenography for an exhibition in Pabradė on a similar theme.
The fact that this exhibition is part of the Perspectives project, implemented with the support of the Goethe-Institut, gave us – as a German-Lithuanian architecture studio – even more motivation.
When we visited the Pabradė Cultural Centre to explore possible spaces, it unexpectedly turned out, during discussions with the centre’s management, that the basement premises were actually the most suitable location for the exhibition. Once the main exhibition space was chosen, we had all the necessary elements to begin transforming the concept into a tangible spatial scenography.
How did the theme of this project align with your team’s values and previous work?
In our other project, Pop-Up Ma Parole, we collaborate with the graphic design studio WAS•IS•DAS to create temporary discussion platforms in public spaces. These platforms encourage the exchange of opinions and visually present collected statements. Our priority is to give a voice to those whom society often does not hear – or perceives negatively.
From the very beginning, we felt a strong connection with the Voice for Change project in Pabradė, which aims to highlight the stories of refugees living in Lithuania.
How did you develop the vision for the exhibition together with the artists? How did it take shape in the space?
The artist duo Olesia and Nikolaj did an impressive job leading creative workshops at the Pabradė Refugee Reception Centre. They had a very clear, imagination-inspiring vision of what they wanted to convey in the exhibition and how they envisioned it spatially.
It was important to them to communicate not only the atmosphere of the workshops and the emotions evoked by the centre’s sombre corridors but also the sterile office environment and bureaucratic context in which these stories emerged. This vision became our starting point – together, we searched for ways to translate these emotions and impressions into tangible spatial scenography.
As an architect, my task was to find a form that would not overwhelm but rather highlight the content they wanted to convey.
How does the exhibition’s architecture and structure help convey the experiences of the people involved in the project?
Olesia and Nikolaj could hardly imagine a theatrical scenography, as the daily reality of the refugee centre was too stark and literal. Together, we searched for the most suitable presentation forms and eventually chose a minimalist approach. Raw MDF boards and simple A4 printed sheets best reflected the workshops and the environment.
The exhibition is divided into two parts. Entering through a side door, visitors descend into the basement and follow a long, dimly lit, maze-like corridor where they encounter excerpts from the stories, presented in various languages and reminiscent of official documents.
The second part is a brightly lit, almost empty room with a worktable under neon light, on which the materials used in the artists’ workshops are left, as if the creators had just stepped out for a short break and left everything as it was.
The exhibition ends with another corridor, where visitors can leave their details in a special logbook, and, exiting through a different side door, find themselves in uncertainty outside the building – without any further guidance.
How did you approach designing an exhibition on such a sensitive social theme without overloading it aesthetically? Was that a challenge?
The greatest challenge, as in many projects, was finding the right balance between creativity, functionality, content, and the constraints of time and budget. But this time, the situation was unique – the theme required exceptional sensitivity.
The hardest part was resisting the temptation to create a visually elaborate design. We aimed for subtlety that would not interrupt the stories but simply accompany them.
How can architecture and scenography become a form of social dialogue?
Architecture and scenography are forms of visual communication – as eloquent as a facial expression, clothing style, or words. They reflect society and serve as a platform for dialogue with oneself and with the world.
What does “giving a voice” mean to you personally?
Our work influences society – both in the short and long term – and shapes our environment. With this power comes responsibility, which can sometimes limit the creative process, but more often it inspires, once you grasp its significance and potential.
What message do you want to convey to exhibition visitors – what should they experience, feel, or understand when they come to this exhibition?
Visitors should understand that this exhibition does not serve refugee stories directly, on a platter. It is a spatial experience that requires time, silence, and engagement.
Our aim was to create not just an exhibition, but a state of mind – one that leaves a resonance. If a visitor allows themselves to enter this space not as an exhibition but as a quiet conversation, the experience can stay with them for a long time.
How can such artistic projects change public attitudes?
By giving a voice to those who are often unheard, a different view of the world emerges – one that fosters empathy and offers the chance to get to know those who may seem “other.”
Artistic projects can provide a creative approach where traditional educational programmes may not be enough.
In the context of this project, what struck you the most – what left the strongest impression?
In Pabradė, the challenges of our time are especially visible – magnified, as if under a microscope. In this context, it is truly inspiring to see a Lithuanian creative organisation (the arts agency Artscape), a German cultural institute (the Goethe-Institut), and an artist duo working together to address these issues.
The Voice for Change event series was part of the PERSPECTIVES project, co-funded by the European Union. It was implemented by the Goethe-Institut in partnership with the arts agency Artscape.
August 24, 2025