Once Upon Another Time… gyveno jie jau kitaip

The 13th Kaunas Biennial titled Once Upon Another Time... gyveno jie jau kitaip will take place from November 12, 2021 to February 20, 2022. The exhibition offers reflections on the current global situations, including the pandemic, with a curatorial project that explores human resilience and adaptation. Curated by Josée Drouin-Brisebois, the biennial investigates different forms of storytelling and narrative in contemporary art. At times, these stories are grounded in myths and fictions associated with the passage of time, transformation and evolution. In other moments, they explore experienced personal and communal tales of survival. The exhibition proposes a sharing of stories rooted in diverse worldviews and moments in time, from the past, present and even the future.

The biennial will bring together 23 international artists and groups from Lithuania, Poland, Germany, France, United Kingdom, the US, Canada and Brazil. Ten new artworks are being commissioned for the 13th Kaunas Biennial, an event which will be one of the most significant contemporary art events, opening Kaunas European Capital of Culture 2022.

J. Drouin-Brisebois stated: “Through a series of engaging encounters with contemporary art in unusual places, visitors will embark on an exploratory journey of the architectural and lived history of Kaunas, which will be animated in renewed and surprising ways. Through their artworks that convey compelling and resonant narratives, the artists consider the resilience and adaptation of living beings, as many continue to face adversity, injustice, oppression and climate change. The aim is to encourage audiences to connect through the familiarity of storytelling, to foster empathy and hopefully new understanding.”

Participating artists:
David Altmejd (Canada/US), Christian Boltanski (France), Shary Boyle (Canada), Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller (Canada), Douglas Gordon (Scotland, UK), Petrit Halilaj (Kosovo), Kristina Inčiūraitė (Lithuania/Ireland), Isuma (Canada), Kapwani Kiwanga (Canada/France), Lina Lapelytė (Lithuania), Laura Lima (Brazil), Jonas Mekas (Lithuania/US), Pakui Hardware (Neringa Černiauskaitė and Ugnius Gelguda, Lithuania), Augustas Serapinas (Lithuania), Jeremy Shaw (Canada/Germany), Monika Sosnowska (Poland), SetP Stanikas (Svajonė and Paulius Stanikai) (Lithuania/France), Indrė Šerpytytė (Lithuania/UK), Emilija Škarnulytė (Lithuania), Althea Thauberger (Canada), Goodhearter Wisher (Vytautas Viržbickas, Lithuania), Simona Žemaitytė (Lithuania).

A special project with the Belarusian students from the European Humanities University will be coordinated by Artūras Raila (Lithuania). The students include Darya Karalkova, Aliona Makhnach, Volha Mirankova, Alesia Pesenka kolaboracijoje su fotografu Yauhen Attsetski, Aleksei Shklianko, Viktoryia Yaskevich ir Yauheni Zahorski.

Film programme and accompanying programme
During the exhibition, a special film programme will be presented, screening selected films by Jonas Mekas (Lithuania/US), Petrit Halilaj (Kosovo) and Isuma (Canada). A special online film programme will feature Douglas Gordon (Scotland, UK), Petrit Halilaj (Kosovo/Germany), Kristina Inčiūraitė (Lithuania), Isuma (Canada), Jonas Mekas (Lithuania/US), Jeremy Shaw (Canada/Germany) and Simona Žemaitytė (Lithuania).

Along with the exhibition, the 13th Kaunas Biennial includes a wide programme of performances and workshops taking place throughout the duration of the exhibition.

The main exhibition venues for the 13th Kaunas Biennial include the House of Basketball, Tadas Ivanauskas Zoology Museum and the Devil Museum.

The exhibition is organised by Kaunas Biennial. The project is supported by the Lithuanian Council for Culture, Kaunas City Municipality and with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. The event is presented in collaboration with the Office of the Embassy of Canada to Lithuania and is a part of the project Kaunas European Capital of Culture 2022.