Marina Abramović is one of the most famous contemporary artists and performers, attracting the attention of millions of people. This charismatic, mysterious, dramatic personality creates a deep connection between the artist and the viewer, exploring the possibilities of the body, mind, provoking and fascinating for more than four decades. In the memoir book “Walk Through Walls” (published by “Kitos knygos“), the artist ironically, witty and sensitively tells about her extraordinary career, characterized by an uncompromising crossing of danger, fear, pain and exhaustion – due to emotional and spiritual transformations.
On 13 May, 6 pm at Kaunas Artists’ House reading room Marina Abramović’s book “Walk Through the Walls” will be discussed by painter, performer and installer Jurga Barilaitė and writer Aušra Kaziliūnaitė. During the presentation Jurga promises to use artistic “events/happenings” to involve the audience in the joint experimental experience.
Jurga Barilaitė is an interdisciplinary artist, painter and creator of assemblages, texts, performances and video art. The critical attitude to the tradition of painting and its discourse, the reasoning about the identity of the artist and the nature of creation and feminism is the basis of one of the most interesting Lithuanian artists. An important material and conceptual material of the artist is the body. J.Barilaitė analyzes the boundaries of physical abilities of herself and other individuals, as well as the influence of the body as a certain semantic figure, which generates meanings and messages with the slightest gestures, movements and sounds. The artist performs her body to convey a variety of messages from eroticism to aggression, from sentimentality to irony with exceptional performances containing moving images. Ideas and images come from the artist’s immediate environment: childhood memories and teenage rebellion, maternity worries and nomadic life experiences that she combines with art history and pop culture. Since 1998 she is a member of Lithuanian Interdisciplinary Art Union. The artist’s works have been acquired by Lithuanian National Gallery, MO Museum, and art collectors in Lithuania, Germany, Sweden, Austria, France, Latvia, and Switzerland.
Aušra Kaziliūnaitė is a writer, poet, philosopher, performance artist. Has published four poetry books. Last year Aušra’s creative selection appeared in English. She performed her works at the opening of the London Book Fair, The Poetry Society, New York Poets House and others. Aušra has earned many Lithuanian literary awards, and her poetry selection in English “The Moon Is a Pill” (translated by Rimas Užgiris) has been ranked in the top five books in the Baltic countries by a literary expert Jade Will. Artist’s poems were translated into 13 languages. In 2018 supported by a US government writer, participated in one of the most prestigious writers residency International Writing Program. The University of Iowa awarded her a Honorary Fellow in Writing. Ausra is also a curator and coordinator of the book fair and literary festival “Pavilion” book weekend in Vilnius.
Attending the event is free of charge and it will be held in Lithuanian.
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