On April 4, 2025, the international exhibition ‘We Are 17’ will open at the LNDM Vytautas Kasiulis Art Museum (A. Goštauto g. 1, Vilnius). Curated by ‘Meno Avilys’, this project is based on a series of photographs created in 1955 by Dutch filmmaker and photographer Johan van der Keuken, capturing seventeen-year-olds of that era.
At the age of seventeen himself, J. van der Keuken documented his peers—young people stepping into adulthood. His spontaneous and authentic portraits reveal the emotions, anxieties, and daily lives of the post-war generation. This body of humanist photography marked the beginning of his career and remains relevant today. The exhibition showcases prints made from the original negatives using modern pigment ink technology.
Johan van der Keuken – Wij zijn 17 (1955) © Noshka van der Lely
Johan van der Keuken – Wij zijn 17 (1955) © Noshka van der Lely
Now, seventy years later, J. van der Keuken’s work becomes part of a dialogue with today’s youth. The exhibition features over 100 contemporary portraits by young photographers from Lithuania, Catalonia, and Romania. In Lithuania, ‘Meno Avilys’ organized creative workshops in various schools, where teenagers, inspired by the Dutch master, created portraits of their peers and those who were seventeen in 1955. The photographic process was guided by renowned artists such as Artūras Morozovas, Vilma Samulionytė, and Aistė Žegulytė (Lithuania); Ingrid Ferrer, Tanit Plana, Mònica Roselló, and Berta Vicente Salas (Catalonia); and Lorena Dumitrascu, Melissa Ivana, and Luiza Puiu (Romania). The exhibition is further enriched by audio recordings in which participants share their experiences and dreams.
‘We Are 17’ not only fosters intergenerational dialogue through photography but also invites visitors to reflect on their own adolescent experiences and questions of identity. Despite the seven decades separating these two generations, their aspirations, fears, and hopes may prove to be surprisingly similar.
Johan van der Keuken – Wij zijn 17 (1955) © Noshka van der Lely
Johan van der Keuken – Wij zijn 17 (1955) © Noshka van der Lely
Johan van der Keuken – Wij zijn 17 (1955) © Noshka van der Lely
The exhibition will be accompanied by educational events, creative workshops, and film screenings at the Vytautas Kasiulis Art Museum, ‘Skalvija’ Cinema Center, and ‘Meno Avilys’ Cinematheque. These events will provide a platform for young people to share their perspectives on the contemporary world and how they express it through photography.
‘We Are 17’ will be on display in Vilnius until May 11, 2025, after which it will travel to the Barcelona Contemporary Culture Center (CCCB) and Timișoara. The exhibition’s architect is Jurgis Dagelis, the designer is Jurgis Griškevičius, and its coordination in Lithuania is overseen by ‘Meno Avilys’.
This project is part of a broader international initiative led by the cultural association ‘A Bao A Qu’ (Catalonia), the cultural association ‘Contrasens’ (Romania), and ‘Meno Avilys’ (Lithuania). It is funded by the European Union under the ‘Creative Europe’ Culture sub-program and the Lithuanian Culture Institute.
Photo – courtesy of Gintarė Grigėnaitė © Vytautas Kasiulis Art Museum
