Robot Albert Finished Painting the ‘Nezlamna / Ubreakable’ neo-fresco in Vilnius

Residents and visitors of Vilnius will now be greeted by an impressive artwork in the city center. The robot ‘Albertas,’ located on the bank of the Neris River, has completed the creation of the neo-fresco ‘Nezlamna/Unbreakable,’ a process adjusted due to unfavorable weather conditions.

The new several-hundred-square-meter neo-fresco ‘Nezlamna,’ dedicated to Ukraine and the resilience of its people, is situated on the building at A. Juozapavičiaus Street 9, with the wall for the artwork provided by Turto bankas.

According to the organizers of the project, Artscape Art Agency, and the Lithuanian National Commission for UNESCO, this artwork is proof that art can not only convey powerful messages to the world but can also meaningfully unite large communities.

Neo-fresco ‘Nezlamna/Unbreakable’ in Vilnius

‘Nezlamna’ is a collaborative project of Lithuanian, Ukrainian, and Estonian creators, dedicated to the unwavering determination of the Ukrainian people to defend their freedom, emphasizing the importance of intangible cultural heritage in uniting communities and nations. The same team that transformed the so-called ‘Moscow House’ into a symbol of Ukrainian resilience last year, creating the neo-fresco ‘Do peremogi/To victory,’ implemented this fresco, which is currently being prepared for auction.

In the center of the new fresco, we see the same volunteer from Zaporizhzhia, Tetiana Drobotia, who ‘conquered’ the so-called ‘Moscow House’ last year. Now she is depicted standing on a rock in the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia, capturing the realities of war, using a photograph from the series by photographer Elena Tita taken in Zaporizhzhia after the explosion of the Kachovka dam caused by Russia.

Ukrainian Tetiana Drobotia

During the presentation of the fresco, the project’s artistic director Lina Šlipavičiūtė emphasized the importance of continuous support for Ukraine. “This project, this art, showcases the beauty of Ukraine despite the ongoing war. At the same time, it conveys a message about the strong identity and beauty of Ukraine during the war and our fight for freedom, democracy, and a better future without threats from Russia. The conditions of war also help us understand who we are, where our heart is, where our home and homeland are – it provides dignity and identity. This neo-fresco ‘Nezlamna’ is about hope, beauty, even when it’s tough, we won’t stop and will remain strong together,” said the muse of the neo-fresco, Tetiana Drobotia.

The owner of the building Turto bankas refers to the artwork as a statue of freedom dedicated to the Ukrainian struggle. “It is a well-visible building in the city, and the fresco will not let us forget that Ukrainians need our continuous support more than ever,” said Ernestas Česokas, acting director of the Finance Department at Turto bankas. According to E. Česokas, future considerations may include creating a space inside the building dedicated to Ukrainians for meetings and youth activities.

The large-format artwork on the building’s wall was created using the unique robot ‘Albertas’ (‘Robot Muralist’). Since 2016, Estonian artist, engineer, and robot inventor Mihkel Joala has been traveling the world, decorating building walls with large-scale artworks.

Estonian artist, engineer, and robot inventor Mihkel Joala

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003). Initiatives worldwide are being held to promote, support, and create living traditional culture and intangible cultural heritage in celebration of this occasion.

The neo-fresco is a joint project of the creative group, including Artscape Art Agency (Lithuania), the Lithuanian National Commission for UNESCO, the art laboratory ‘Kiaurai sienas’ (Lithuania), the public organization ‘Postlomograafia klubi’ (Estonia), and independent artists from Ukraine and Lithuania (Lina Šlipavičiūtė, Tetiana Drobotia, Elena Tita).

The project is partly funded by the Chancellery of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and Turto bankas.

Organised by Artscape Art Agency, Lithuanian National Commission for UNESCO
Partners: art laboratory ‘Kiaurai sienos’
Creative and Production Group:
Neo-fresco: art director Lina Šlipavičiūtė (Lithuania), Robot Muralist (Estonia), model Tetiana Drobotia (Ukraine), photographer Elena Tita (Ukraine)
Costume: dress and necklace – designer George Lvov (Ukraine); crown – Natalia Boiko (Ukraine); costume consultant – Serhiy Bilivnenko (Ukraine), Doctor of History, expert in social anthropology, Associate Professor at the Department of History, Zaporizhzhia National University.