On Thursday evening, the exhibition Art as Refuge opened at the gallery Eight Eyes and Ears (Algirdo St. 38, Vilnius). The event was organized by the arts agency Artscape in partnership with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
This is the first exhibition of its kind in Lithuania, exploring art as a means of overcoming the challenges of life changes, created by refugee artists living in the country.
Accompanied by music performed on Kanun and Oud instruments by Youssef from Tunisia and Kadim from Iraq, the works of 10 artists were presented. Artists from Ukraine, Belarus, and Iraq invited attendees to listen to stories about the artworks, their histories, and engage in dialogue about shared human experiences.
The exhibition’s curator, Stefanija Paulauskaitė, shared that the exhibition emerged from a long process lasting nearly a year, during which the artists participated in the Artscape mentorship program. The presented artworks symbolically became the program’s concluding event and a platform for dialogue about the significance of migration and the openness of society.
Renata Kuleš, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) representative in Lithuania, expressed gratitude to all the Lithuanian artists who participated in the mentorship program and contributed to the creation of this exhibition. “People who lose their homes and homeland, who are forced to relocate to another country, do not lose their talents, abilities, and qualifications. Will we give them the opportunity to thrive in Lithuania?” Kuleš asked.
The free exhibition at the Eight Eyes and Ears gallery, open throughout the weekend, showcases works by emerging and professional artists who have received asylum in Lithuania, created specifically for this exhibition. It features a diverse range of works, from visual arts, music, experimental film, and painting to performance and sculpture.
Each artwork conveys the essence of the migration journey—revealing the unseen forces of forced displacement, the tension between past and present, and the constant question of what truly makes a place “home.”
Katya Kononenko & Andrii Gumeniuk – Home (Ukraine)
What makes a home, home? What are their characteristics? Why does ‘home’ in Lithuania feel like a temporary stop for me? Why do I still hear the call of my true home in Kyiv? I consider that home is the main reason why Ukrainians never tire of fighting on the front lines, and those who have had to leave their country constantly experience a mixture of pain, sadness, hope, and strength. Home unites us all: both those who have it and those who are searching for it.
The self-portraits reveal that when you don’t have a true home, you search for it within yourself, for only then can you soothe the longing. The inner voice, which resembles the daily sounds of Kyiv, constantly reminds you of this longing. I still hear those sounds inside me. I still hear that Ukraine is calling me.
Aliaksandra Tratsiakova – Invisible (Belarus)
One of my favorite materials to work with is papier mâché. The characters created from it illustrate the feelings of insecurity, loneliness, and insignificance experienced by someone who has gone through emigration. All the figures were born from my own experience, when you feel separated from others, questioning your worth and happiness. So, these works are about displacement, fragility, difficulties, and the courage to move forward.
This artwork was previously exhibited in Berlin, at the group exhibition “All tomorrow’s Songs”
Oleksandra Mazurenko – Trilogy: My sweet fears (2024), Healing (2024), Lands warmed by an alien Sun (2022) (Ukraina)
Why do I do this, knowing that these things don’t fit together? I do it over and over again because I want to and naively believe that it’s possible? Maybe to see how my skin will fit someone or something else? This work about homesickness, about body, scars and calluses. This work about my first weeks of February-March 2022, when I met full-scale invasion of Ukraine being in a foreign country – at that moment I wanted home more than ever in my life.
Daniil Perchak – Haven (Ukraine)
Dienoraščio stiliaus dokumentiniame filme sudėjome mano ir partnerės vaizdo įrašų archyvo kadrus. Juose matyti matyti asmeniška gyvenimo kelionė, kuri prasidėjo nuo pozityvaus sprendimo 2013 m. studijuoti užsienyje. Po šešių mėnesių viskas pasisuko nauju kampu, nes netekau namų Ukrainoje. Filmu noriu papasakoti patirtą realybę: nuo išgyvenimų okupuotame Makiivkos mieste, nuolatinės įtampos migracijos sistemoje iki neįtikėtino palaikymo iš Lietuvos universiteto ir vietos bendruomenės.
Karrar Hasani – Painful Beauty (Iraq)
The movement of the human body can embody both breathtaking beauty and the silent endurance of hidden pain. The story of the ballerina is the example of grace and elegance masking the toll of relentless dedication. Every shape, every muscle refined through countless repetitions, speaks to the limitless capabilities of the human body when driven by strength & will. This balance between fragility and strength reveals the narrative of perseverance in the pursuit of perfection.
Marija Frolova & Kseniia Buryka – Counterpoint (Ukraine)
This performance is an exploration of the fears of uncertainty and the unknown, a metaphor for the search for inner balance. We combined contrasting elements and media: a gentle lullaby, adapting and struggling dance movements, a sense of fear lingering in the air, and fabric that creates a fog-like effect. We invite you to observe and explore the state of weightlessness, to remember the sleep of childhood, and to pay attention to the symbolism. Will it be possible to experience a counterpoint that offers a temporary sense of calm, even in the greatest darkness and uncertainty?
The free exhibition Art as Refuge will run until December 8, 2024, at the Eight Eyes and Ears gallery (Algirdo St. 38, Vilnius). Gallery hours: Thursdays 6:30 PM–9:00 PM, Fridays–Sundays 11:00 AM–7:00 PM.
Visitors are also invited to register for meetings with the artists to explore the exhibited works together. Registration is available here.
The exhibition features works created by artists participating in the Artscape Mentorship Program 2024. This program, implemented in collaboration with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), is the first cultural educational initiative aimed at fostering creative activities for artists and creators who have received asylum in Lithuania.
Program partners include the Vilnius City Municipality, the Kazickas Family Foundation, the Lithuanian Council for Culture, and the Goethe-Institut Vilnius.
December 5, 2024