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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? An article from www.eurozine.com 1/3 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 An article from www.eurozine.com 2/3 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 An article from www.eurozine.com 3/3