From 17th of July till 8th of August at the Adomas Mickevicius library Exhibition space will be held the exhibition “Stay Gold” by Ieva Baltaduonytė.
“Stay Gold” – Contemporary artist’s Ieva Baltaduonyte’s photographic art work reflects on the topic of migration, place and identity. How does a young person relate to his/her identity based on their past, their home, and their family in today’s widely dispersed modern world? This photographic study emerges from Ieva’s own personal experiences living abroad. Living in a different environment and experiencing different cultural aspects compared to her own motherland where she grew up. Exactly this personal experience has naturally led Ieva to experience an intensifying interest in exploring the topic of identity and how it relates to a place.
At the age of 16 Ieva has moved with her family to Ireland, where she still resides up to this day. Ieva’s art work explores themes of migration and search for identity. Both are closely related to Ieva’s own life’s personal journey. “Stay Gold”, the name for this exhibitions photographic series is an abbreviation from Robert Frost poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay”. This is a metaphor for the ever shifting idea of identity. These photographs capture the details of places, and brief encounters with people that reflect the perception of “home”. Photographic records of Vilnius city street scenery, forest from her hometown Anyksciai, where Ieva spent her childhood summers, the scenery of Ireland, the portraits of her sister, her father’s planted tree trunk that grew in the courtyard when she was a kid. Using the photographic medium these memories are preserved and the relationship between the captured moments and Ieva’s own experience is being analysed.
This photographic exhibition invites the viewer to join Ieva’s personal journey, and to see through each captured moment as a metaphor for “home”. The overwhelming feelings of homesickness, nostalgia and sense of vagueness wanting to return home are present. But the question is asked “Where is my home?”. Ieva acknowledges this condition and is sure that it is familiar among those who live outside of their motherland, who can share the same sentiment. As a result, Ieva’s artistic expression is exploring psychological as well as emotional realms experiencing a life “in-between” dispersed places, cultures and languages.
Ieva Baltaduonyte is an artist living in Ireland. She has completed Photography BA Studies at the Dublin Institute of Technology. Her works have been exhibited in Ireland, France, Greece, and Lithuania at NIDA Art Colony, Prospect Gallery in Vilnius as well as at the French festival “Les Boreales” in Cannes, PhotoIreland festival in Dublin. This year Ieva has been also invited to join the artist residency in Kaunas.
Exhibition is a part of World Lithuanian Unity Day‘s program.
Supporters: Vilnius City Municipality, Sun365 Juice & Smoothies
The event is organized by Kirtimai Cultural Center.