"TOGETHER IN DIFERENT WAYS". GROUP "FOUR"

On 21 May, Thursday, at 6 p.m., we invite you to the opening of the exhibition “together in different ways” of the group “Four“ at the Kaunas Picture Gallery (K. Donelaičio St. 16, Kaunas).

The group “Four”, active in Kaunas from 1991 to 2001, united four artists – Aušra Andziulytė, Elena Balsiukaitė-Brazdžiūnienė, Aušra Barzdukaitė-Vaitkūnienė, and Judita Budriūnaitė.

The exhibition attempts to explore, foster, or perhaps, recreate the history of the “Four”. We are giving the floor to the past, as we want to fill in the gaps in the narrative, and, at the same time, to provoke reflections on history as such and contemplate on the ways it is written.

You are invited to accept the unknown, the uncertain, and the fragmentary. Just as making a choice of what to tell and what to leave unsaid. This is an inevitable part of every authentic narrative. The exhibition “together in different ways” suggests questioning the idea of a single “correct” story and to see it as a live, open, and constantly changing process.

The curator of the exhibition Agnė Taliūtė says: The story of the group “Four” is presented from different perspectives and through the narratives of the artists themselves. I have deliberately excluded the role of an impersonal, universal performer. In this way, the exhibition serves as a means for representation and a space for self-reflection.

The exhibition highlights a feminist viewpoint and invites reflection on the place of the first all-women artists’ group within the context of gender studies, as well as encourages interpreting their action together as a form of women solidarity and a strategy for survival.

The title of the exhibition refers to the interview by journalist Vida Savičiūnaitė The Four Walk Together, but on Different Paths, published in 2001 on the occasion of the group’s last joint exhibition “4x10”. From today’s perspective, the title had predicted the end of the group’s activities – its breakup – and aptly defined its principles: a search for common ground through conversations, time spent together, and exhibition practices. At the same time, they experienced individual pursuits and unique creative paths. On the other hand, the title “together in different ways” is a play of words that characterizes other titles of the group’s “Four” exhibitions. 

A performance by the artist saulė nori will take place during the exhibition opening. She creates electrodrama blending storytelling, soundscapes, and texts – both English and Lithuanian.

Curator: Agnė Taliūtė
Architect: Vika Pranaitytė (O-D-A. architecture studio)
Designer: Julija Tolvaišytė-Leonavičienė
Coordinator: Gintarė Žaltauskaitė-Mikutavičienė
Technicians: Mindaugas Bagdonavičius, Irmantas Kuskys, Izoldas Smagarauskas, Jonas Linkus, Artūras Skopas
Texts in English: Palmyra Sakalauskienė
Editor of texts: Aurelija Gražina Rukšaitė
Video recordings, photographs: Gabrielius Laurinaitis
Communication: Vida Labanauskienė, Monika Mastavičiūtė, Milda Žiūkaitė
Educational programmes: Armandas Čiapas, Justė Kutkienė, Gabrielė Lymontaitė, Iveta Pociūtė, Raminta Stasaitytė‑Račkauskienė

Authors of the texts: Agnė Taliūtė, Aušra Andziulytė, Aušra Barzdukaitė-Vaitkūnienė, Elena Balsiukaitė-Brazdžiūnienė, Judita Budriūnaitė, Margarita Jankauskaitė, Agnė Bagdžiūnaitė, Kristina Budrytė-Genevičė.

Quotes and commentary: Rasa Andriušytė-Žukienė, Birutė Pankūnaitė, Eglė Komkaitė, Linara Dovydaitytė.

Interview: Žilvinė Petrauskaitė-Taranda

Sound performance: saulė nori

The organizers express their cordial thanks to the Kaunas Artists‘ House, the Kaunas department of the Lithuanian Artists‘ Union, LNK TV channel, publications “7 meno dienos“, “Literatūra ir menas“, Margarita Jankauskaitė, Agnė Bagdžiūnaitė, Julija Selezniova, Dangė Vitkienė, Linara Dovydaitytė, Gintautas Trimakas.

The research of the “Four“ project is financed by the Lithuanian Council for Culture

The photograph features the members of the “Four“ at the Kaunas Picture Gallery during the preparation of the exhibition “4x10“ in 2001. Photo: Gintautas Trimakas

The event is open to the public and may be filmed and photographed. By attending, you agree to be featured in photographs and videos of the event and are informed that these materials may be made public.