{"id":459,"date":"2025-07-21T12:04:29","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T12:04:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/klaipedabiennial.lt\/?page_id=459"},"modified":"2026-01-20T14:48:55","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T14:48:55","slug":"apie","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/klaipedabiennial.lt\/en\/apie\/","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"
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1st Klaip\u0117da Biennial: Sunset Every Two Years

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\u2018Transit\u2019 (from the Latin <\/span>transitus <\/span><\/i>\u2013 meaning passage or change) serves as the keyword of the upcoming Biennial, referring to an intermediate state of transition and transformation. This concept unfolds through several interconnected sub-themes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

First (1), the Biennial itself \u2013 by its very nature, an event that occurs every two years \u2013 functions as a transient, recurrent phenomenon. In astronomy, transit refers to the movement of one celestial body across another. <\/span>The title Sunset Every Two Years poetically evokes<\/span> a sense of extended, frozen, desynchronised time. It gestures both to modernity as<\/span> a contradictory period, connecting different worldviews and temporalities, and to Klaip\u0117da itself<\/span> often referred to as \u2018the city of sunsets\u2019. <\/span>As a transit phenomenon, the Biennial offers an opportunity to experience the intersections between planetary and personal time and the field of art.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Second (2), the figure of transit addresses the space of the distinctive and dramatic history of the greater Klaip\u0117da region, shaped by a century of significant political, urban, and other transformations. This is reflected in the Biennial's attention to the past, particularly through historical and other forms of photography.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Third (3), Klaip\u0117da is a port city, a hub of transit, relocation, and logistics \u2013 moving freight, passengers, and ferries. In Ancient Greek, the word \u2018metaphor\u2019 <\/span>(\u03bc\u03b5\u03c4\u03b1\u03c6\u03bf\u03c1\u03ac)<\/span><\/i>means transference or relocation: this notion becomes both a poetic and curatorial strategy within this context. The integration of poetic\u00a0<\/span>language into curatorial and architectural processes is one of the key intentions of this Biennial. The exhibition will feature a number of existing works, some of which may have been previously exhibited \u2013 their relocation, transit, and the creation of new semantic connections are an integral part of the Biennial.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fourth (4), the region\u2019s ecospace is closely tied to ecological and political movements and early examples of contemporary art in Lithuania, such as the campaign-performance Angakoko sugr\u012f\u017eimas (Return of Angakokas) by the artist group \u017dalias lapas (Green Leaf) in Nida in 1990, protesting against oil drilling in the Baltic Sea, and the National Park Status to Neringa campaign (Nida, 1989), among others. Taking into account the danger of chemical weapons buried in the Baltic Sea, the spills of various pollutants, radical historical and contemporary political and other movements, as well as the sea\u2019s current status as one of the most polluted bodies of water in the world, the Biennial seeks to draw attention to various notions of ecological and other toxicity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fifth (5), and finally, this unique ecosystem of the \u2018sunset land\u2019 is also an actively regenerative space of rest, wellness, sexuality, and bodily or spiritual rebirth. As a seaside resort or a magical 'edge of the world\u2019, it offers the sensation of time slowing down, of liberating political or sexual bodies, and of opening up the possibility for new worlds and experiences.<\/span><\/p>\n

Through these lenses, the Biennial will explore transit as a historical, logistical, socio-economic, ecological, extractivist, aesthetic, magical, and poetic theme for possible speculative futures.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The 1st Klaip\u0117da Biennial (KB1) emerges in response to a lack of large-scale, recurrent, discursive contemporary art events in Western Lithuania. The international KB1 will take place across the premises of the Klaip\u0117da Cultural Communication Centre (KCCC) and the city\u2019s public spaces, with a special focus on the maritime region of Klaip\u0117da, its history, and the countries along the shores of the Baltic Sea.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The first KB1 is curated by Valentinas Klima\u0161auskas, who has extensive experience in curating major international events, including the national pavilions of Latvia (2019) and Lithuania (2024) at the Venice Biennale, the Coast Contemporary Contemporary Art Festival in the Lofoten Islands, Norway (2023), and the 14th Baltic Triennial at the Contemporary Art Centre in Vilnius (CAC) (2021), among other projects. Klima\u0161auskas is currently the Director of the CAC in Vilnius.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The long-term aim of the project is to establish a sustainable, large-scale international contemporary art event in Western Lithuania, fostering collaboration among artists and partner institutions from Northern Europe, the Baltic States, and beyond.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Locations of the Biennial: <\/b>Klaip\u0117da Cultural Communication Centre (KCCC) and public spaces<\/span> across Klaip\u0117da<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Biennial Team<\/b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Commissioner: Liudas Andrikis
Curator: Valentinas Klima\u0161auskas
Assistant Curator: Viktorija Misiul\u0117
Architect: Gabriel\u0117 \u010cerniavskaja
Producer: \u017dana Jegorova
Coordinators: Justina Trapokait\u0117, Gabija Savickait\u0117
Graphic Designer: Vytautas Volbekas
Communication:
Curator of the Educational Programme: Daura Polonskyt\u0117
Educational Programme: Aurelija \u0160iu\u0161kait\u0117, Jolanta Uktveryt\u0117
Texts: Banga Elena Kniuk\u0161tait\u0117
Lithuanian Copy Editor: Dang\u0117 Vitkien\u0117
Translations: Alexandra Bondarev, Paulius Bal\u010dytis
English Copy Editor: Gemma Lloyd
Techninis \u012fgyvendinimas: Robertas Laugalys, Tomas Tarvydas, Vaclovas Leikus, Audronius \u017demgulis, Rimantas Zaleckas
Lighting: Justas B\u00f8<\/p>\n

Participating artists<\/b>: Gabriel\u0117 Adomaityt\u0117, Matti Aikio, Bernardas Aleknavi\u010dius, Madeleine Andersson, Tekla Aslanishvili, Ar\u016bn\u0117 Baronait\u0117, Nina Beier, Vitalijus Butyrinas, Adam\nChristensen, Mikalojus Konstantinas \u010ciurlionis, Dovil\u0117 Dagien\u0117, Vytautas Dara\u0161kevi\u010dius, Doooooris, Milda Drazdauskait\u0117, Irena Giedraitien\u0117, Henrikas Gulbinas, Karla Gruodis, Vidmantas Il\u010diukas, Agn\u0117 Jok\u0161\u0117, Edith Karlson, Joachim Koester, Algimantas Kun\u010dius, \u010ceslovas Lukenskas, Paulius Makauskas, Simon Dybbroe M\u00f8ller, Paulina Mongirdait\u0117, Katja Novitskova, Vitalija Petraityt\u0117, Rodion Petroff, Emilija Povilanskait\u0117 and Clara Schweers, Romualdas Po\u017eerskis, Liudvikas Ruikas, Janina Sabaliauskait\u0117, Julija Skudutyt\u0117, P. Staff, Marija Su\u010dilait\u0117, Malka Sultan, Veronika \u0160leivyt\u0117, Virgilijus \u0160onta, Aske Tiberg, Viktor Timofeev, Remigijus Treigys, Gintautas Trimakas, Raimundas Urbonas, Lesia Vasylchenko and others.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Thank you to: <\/strong> To Laima Andriekien\u0117, Edita Arlausk\u0117, Ar\u016bnas Bal\u010di\u016bnas, Vsevolod Kovalevskij, Skirmant\u0117 Kvietkauskien\u0117, Dainius Raupelis, Vasilij Safronov, Mikalojus Urbonas, Mindaugas \u017dilys, as well as to the gallery Meno ni\u0161a, the Museum of the History of Lithuania Minor, MO Museum, Lithuanian Sea Museum, Kupi\u0161kis Ethnography Museum, National M. K. \u010ciurlionis Art Museum, Lithuanian Photographers\u2019 Association, Klaip\u0117da Gallery, Klaip\u0117da University\u2019s Marine Research Institute, Klaip\u0117da Culture Factory (KUFA), Forum Cinemas, \u0160eiko Dance Theatre, and Pranas Dom\u0161aitis Gallery.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bienal\u0119 finansuoja<\/b> Klaip\u0117dos miesto savivaldyb\u0117, Lietuvos kult\u016bros taryba, Danijos meno fondas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Main Partner:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius\u00a0<\/p>\n

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