From Lentvaris to Warowland | Why do people build dream castles? with Lokomotif

Published on Sunday, 23 August 2020 12:54

From Lentvaris to Warowland | Why do people build dream castles? 
 
29 August, 5 pm
Eduardo Jonušo House (E. A. Jonušo st. 1, Nida)
 
 
From Lentvaris to Warowland | Why do people build dream castles? is a lecture evening with critic and researcher Aistė Bimbirytė-Mackevičienė together with architecture historian Marija Drėmaitė, referring to the exhibition Warowland, curated by Lokomotif in Timofey’s Manor, Lentvaris. 
 
In the second half of the 20th century, the folk master Timofey Zhevzhikov began to build a duplicate of the Lentvaris Manor (1861–1869, architect Friedrich Gustaw von Schacht) - a 4-storey, 360-square-meter house. Zhevzhikov’s decades-long project included examples of reproductions of Western European paintings, decoration of walls and ceilings, brutalist-style concrete castings, and vital sketches of dreams on the walls. The reality constructed by the folk master could not catch up with the author’s ambiguous visions, influenced by the change of times and values as well as coincidences.
 
The event will be held at Eduardo Jonušo House in Nida. The building carries features of a traditional Curonian fishermen’s lodge, and is in fact an architecture and folklore design element composition installed on top of a garage, brought together by the artist Eduardas Jonušas throughout his lifetime.
 
In their lectures, the invited experts will talk about private collections, among them Vladislav Tishkevich’s collection gathered in the early 20th century, and question the reasons for people to build exceptional buildings reminiscent of castles and palaces.
 
The event will be held in English.
Both texts in written format will be available in Lithuanian.
 
The event is organized by curator and researcher Milda Dainovskytė and artist Laurynas Skeisgiela as a part of the NAC Nightlife Events Programme in partnership with Eduardo Jonušo House.The NAC Nightlife Events Programme is a series of collaborative events played out at local bars, clubs, and other friendly institutions in Nida, scattered throughout the summer. 
 
 
!!! COVID-19: Please note that wearing masks is mandatory for all events – both indoor and outdoor. Be cautious and pay attention to keep 1m of physical space from all other guests when attending the event. Please stay home if you are showing COVID-19 symptoms or suspect you have been in contact with an infected person.
 
 
Participants
 
Dr. Aistė Bimbirytė is a critic and researcher at Kazys Varnelis House-Museum. Bimbirytė’s main scientific interest is the culture of manors in Lithuania and their connections to Western European traditions, especially the history of collecting and the activities of Vladislav Tishkevich.
 
Dr. Marija Drėmaitė is an architecture historian and professor at Vilnius University with focus on 20th century architecture. Drėmaitė has compiled such books as Baltic Modernism. Architecture and Housing in Soviet Lithuania (Berlin: Dom publishers, 2017) and Architecture of Optimism: Kaunas Phenomenon, 1918–1940 (Vilnius: Lapas, 2018).
 
 
Organisers
 
Lokomotif is a curatorial duo (Milda Dainovskytė and Laurynas Skeisgiela). Their practice is currently based on a case study of the town Lentvaris, and its historical, mythical, and contemporary discourse.
 
 
The project is co-funded by Lithuanian Council for Culture.