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Summary for Kulturos barai 5/2009
Almantas Samalavicius
About the borders that still divide Europe's west and its east
Europeans are still far from an all−embracing "grand narrative", assuming this
is worth striving for at all. But much would undoubtedly be gained by
discussing the existing plurality of narratives in a shared space transcending
national boundaries. Under the heading "European histories", the 22nd
European Meeting of Cultural Journals hosted by Kulturs barai and Eurozine
in Vilnius in May, provided just such an opportunity. Here are some early
impressions from the conference with the speeches of Valdas Adamkus, the
President of Lithuanian Republic, and Remigijus Vilkaitis, minister of culture.
Tomas Kavaliauskas
Fantasies of salvation seen from the perspective of Central Europe
The author and philosopher discusses different intentions and attitudes towards
freedom in both parts of Europe in 1968, 1989 and at the beginning of the
twenty first century. The Prague of 1968, taken over by political strife, and
Vilnius in 1989 rising for freedom, will most possibly remain a contradictory
part of regional history, as will Paris in 1968 −− romantic, attractive and naïve,
though for different reasons.
Tatiana Zhurzhenko
The geopolitics of memory
The controversy around the statue of the Soviet soldier in Tallinn in April 2007
provided a striking demonstration of Russia's role in the post−Soviet space.
Here, history is used to lay claim to European identity and as a means of
emancipation from Moscow. In the former socialist satellite states, meanwhile,
nationalists are using their opponents' communist pasts for political capital.
Tatiana Zhurzhenko suggests that before we talk about European solidarity, we
need to trace the emergent fault lines running through the eastern European
memory. Continued from issue no 4.
Skaidra Trilupaityte
Creative industries: new possibility for cultural policy or ideology of new
economy
Today it is common to speak of the positive aspects of cultural industries,
constantly expressed by cultural activists and the new generation of politicians.
One should listen to the rhetoric of the cultural theoreticians more carefully.
Though the concept of creative industries is still debated, the statistics are
unreliable −− as are the conclusions −− which are referred to as if they are the
undeniable truth.
Mindaugas Skudutis
What is art?
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In order to know what life is worth, one should look at it in an historical
contexts and learn to see the past, present and future simultaneously. But it is
considered incorrect to compare the art of the past with the art of the present,
and no one is encouraged to think of what we shall leave to future generations,
writes a well−known Lithuanian painter.
Bonifacas Stundzia
The spiritus movens of post−war Baltc studies is gone. In memoriam
Vytautas Maziulis (1926−2009)
Lithuanian scholars said their last farewell to professor Vytautas Maziulis,
member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, an internationally renowned
researcher of Prussian and other Baltic languages and a scholar of
Indo−European studies. Since Prussian was his great love, one should say
farewell in this language: Madlimai tebbei, mukinewis, prabutskan packan (We
ask eternal peace for you, Teacher).
Antanas Tyla
A sculptor's way
The historian speaks about the recent exhibition by sculptor Antanas
Zukauskas at the Lithuanian parliament gallery.
Vlada Kalpokaite
Dialogue with others about oneself
When speaking of Keistuoliai Theatre, the word "jubilee" sounds absurd. They
have remained active for twenty years and free to do anything. They can hardly
be considered narrow in theatrical context but have still been graced with
substantial audiences though they never attempted to pander to common taste
in order to gain their favour. Keistuoliai theatre is full of paradoxes −− but
maybe that is what holds them together. A talk on these issues was held with
actor, director and educator Aidas Giniotis.
Lina Klusaite
Hot−cold or Look for Shakespeare
Why director Gintaras Varnas based his play Shakespeariada not on the plays
of Shakespeare but on the personality of the playwright, or to be more precise
−− his myth.
Ramune Marcinkeviciute
Transgressions of contemporary European theatre
Two prizes, referred to as theatre Oscars, were given this year in Wroclaw.
This was how the international theatre community paid homage to the city that
housed Jerzy Grotowsky's Teatr Laboratorium (2009 was proclaimed the year
of Grotowsky by UNESCO). After a summary of theatre productions that have
received prizes, the critic notes ironically that in comparison, "contemporary
Lithuanian theatre is so innocent".
Stasys Eidrigevicius
That Warhol once again
From the diaries of an art wanderer. The name of Andy Warhol appears almost
in every contemporary art centre, though it seems that everything he created is
already shown and nothing new can be said about him... Eidrigevicius
remembers an unexpected meeting with Andy Warhol in person.
Asta Pakarklyte
The Sleep of Reason or The Murder of Crows
The festival of contemporary music, held in Berlin on 20−29 March, balanced
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on the wasted tradition of American minimalism and experimental music and
the outlived European vanguard. A far more interesting vision was provided by
a series of sound installations. One of them was The Murder of Crows,
presented in co−operation with Thyssen−Bornemisza contemporary art centre
in Wien, the New National Gallery of the Berlin State Museums and
organization "Freunde guter Music Berlin".
Ausra Marija Sluckaite−Jurasiene
With a box of paints through Tbilisi and Vilnius
At the end of 2008 the Lithuanian air−force transported 38 paintings by the
Georgian artist Niko Pirosmani. It pleased me that the artist I liked so much
many years ago in Georgia was finally shown in Vilnius. I did not want to
guess what this had to do with the programme in Vilnius −− European Capital
of Culture 2009 −− if it was just a political gesture. Why should one look for
connections? However, I found some.
Marius Scavinskas
Soviet historiography of Baltic Christianization and the Teutonic wars:
nothing new?
If one has to count the main twists and turns in Lithuanian history, the Soviet
period has to represent a recent, alien epoch in which a surrogate of historical
vision was produced. What is really strange is that as far as Teutonic wars are
concerned, the Soviet interpretation was not much different from the attitude
that prevailed in the historical discourse of the pre−war period. Is this a result
of inner processes of Lithuanian historiography or of outside factors?
Vita Gruodyte
Lithuania in everyday life
Review of a book by Jean Bigot: La Lituanie au quotidien. Portraits d'une
renaissance, L'Harmattan, Mare Balticum, 2009.
Albertas Ruzgas
In the labyrinths of dramatic biographies
Review of the book Dramatiskos biografijos: kovotojai, kurejai, karjeristai,
kolaborantai... by Rokas Subacius (Dramatic Biographies: Fighters, Creators,
Career−makers, Collaborators), Vilnius: Mintis, 2007.
Krescencija Surkute
Chameleons
Ironical essay on Lithuania's cultural and political life.
Published 2009−06−15
Original in Lithuanian
Contribution by Kulturos barai
© Kulturos barai
© Eurozine
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