Pictures – organizers archives ©
For many years, the theorists of art and social sciences have been discussing different concepts of interaction between artists and participants, the definition of the process, influence and effect, the issues of authorship and collaboration. While there are many ways to introduce the production of the workshop, this exhibition emphasizes the personal experiences of each member of the community, which incurred during the art-making process.
There was no intention to define how the piece of art should look like: the composition and choice of colours is an individual experiment of each participant, their personal achievement, choice of a moment and a sign of freedom. The abundance was limited by the monotype technique, however, the moods, aspirations, feelings and time spent together were free to capture. Although a piece of art is not only colours and moods: it is also an individual experience.
The exhibition “Profiles” is an outcome of three months of activity. During that time, they were discussing the significance of art, its value in everyday and personal life, visited exhibitions and worked together. It was a creative dialogue between different people and their experiences, art and every day’s challenges as well as the ways to solve them. Every piece of art is a part of the social and personal profile, a metaphor or a fragment of a story.
The beginning of the exhibition was marked by several projects we were involved in: “12 Steps” (2016), “My History” (2017) (organizers: “Aš Esu”, V. Dusevičius, A. Zakarauskas). It was then, that the idea to involve the community into a long-term artistic and creative collaboration was born.
In their case, the addiction is perceived as a baffling disease that, as a metaphor, is open to discussion and to redefinition, which is often ignored or misapplied. What is the addiction, what kind of colours and lines does it include? Where is drawn the thin line that separates addiction and the negative effect on a human and his life? Those are the questions that we ask in art and in different aspects of everyday life. It should be noted that, that the “life’s profiles” or just “profiles” of the creators are very different. Some works are made by people that are close to recovery, others – by those, who are just starting. However, organizers believe that our support and discussion of the challenges, positive and negative sides of the addiction is our common way to recovery.
The location, “Mano guru” was chosen purposefully – it’s a social dining space that offers help to people, recovering from addictions.
All of You are kindly invited to cooperate, observe, evaluate, and discuss the results of the creative workshop! It will provide you with a possibility to obtain and decorate a home or working environment with a piece of art, made during the workshop, and to contribute to the community!
The exhibition was organized in cooperation with VA CARITAS “Aš Esu”, a community of people with addictions. Join us to spend the evening together, to appreciate and discuss the results of the creative workshop.
Salad bar “Mano Guru”, Vilniaus street 22, Vilnius.
February 8 (Friday) 18:30
