11th Kaunas Biennial 2017

11th Kaunas Biennial 2017
"THERE AND NOT THERE: (Im)possibility of a monument"
15 09 2017 – 30 11 2017

The 11th Kaunas Biennial There And Not There will open on 15 September 2017 and will question the notion of monument: what, when and why should a monument be or not be. While opposing the populist practice of removing-erecting and conservative traditionalism, prevalent in the memory discourse of public art in Lithuania, the Biennial will stimulate and legitimise new, contemporary, conceptual, and relevant ideas and strategies of remembrance. The exhibition will take place in public spaces of the city. The 11th Biennial curator and artist Paulina Pukytė has invited artists from Lithuania, Germany, Slovenia, Great Britain, Japan, the Netherlands, South Africa, and Poland to make site-specific installations for Kaunas. The Kaunas Picture gallery will host three supporting exhibitions. Coming Or Going? (curator Laima Kreivytė) will show how Lithuanian artists have engaged with existing, former and potential monuments in the past two decades in Lithuania. What Are Monuments Made Of (curator Udi Edelman) will present a collection of videos by international artists dealing with monuments. The Biennial is also very happy to show, for the first time in Lithuania, a project by Sophie Calle, the world renowned and one of the most important conceptual artists of today. On 16 and 17 September open talks and discussions on monuments and commemoration will take place, with celebrated guest speakers such as James E. Young, Jochen Gerz, Horst Hoheisel, and others (curator of the Oral Programme Dr. Rasa Antanavičiūtė).

Participating artists of THERE AND NOT THERE: Adina, Manca Bajec, Karolina Freino, Allard van Hoorn, Jenny Kagan, Horst Hoheisel & Andreas Knitz, Jonas Oškinis & Raimundas Krukonis, Juozas Laivys, Dainius Liškevičius, Anton Lukoszevieze, Philip Miller, Tatzu Nishi, Paulina Pukytė, Juozas Zikaras. Special guest: Sophie Calle

Visitor information:
11th Kaunas Biennial dates: 15 September – 30 November 2017
Preview for professionals: 15 September 2017.
Opening of the 11th Kaunas Biennial THERE AND NOT THERE: 15 September 2017, 6:00 pm / Vienybės aikštė, Kaunas (Vienybės Square, Kaunas).