A group of seven artists, invited by curators “SID YOUNG” and Saulė Noreikaitė, were actively searching for archival documents throughout the year, aiming to uncover the existence and to reveal the story of “The Saturn Youth Group”. An exhibition presenting the material of this research will be opened at „Atletika“ gallery (Vitebsko 21, Vilnius) on July 29, 2020. A tour and discussion led by the artists will take place on the following day – July 30 at 7 pm.
“The Saturn Youth Group”, a Lithuanian radical anarchist group active in-between 1910–1920, was making plans for inhabiting Saturn and establishing a utopian commune on this planet. The number of members of this organisation is unknown, neither their identities. During the First World War group members were located all over Europe, however, even though they were far away from each other, one goal united them – to establish their ground in Saturn and to find ways to move there.
The prophetic organisation has vanished into the abyss with just a few documents left available for researchers. Scattered diaries, photographs, posters and maquettes, created by enigmatic members of the group, tell us a story of rethinking colonisation on a planetary scale, searching for new ways of coexistence and alternative ecologies. Imagining a happier life on Saturn, the group criticised the problems of their times – expansive and nationalistic politics of the world’s leading states, accelerating economy and the lack of empathy in society. Big dreamers that “The Saturn Youth Group” were, have disappeared, having left little trace, but it is up for us to address their legacy today.
The speculative archive and its interpretations are to be presented at “Atletika” as the result of a collaboration made possible by artist collective “SID YOUNG” (Katerina Sidorova and Debbie Young) and artist Saulė Noreikaitė. The exhibiting artists are “concerned with verbal and non-verbal language between persons, materials and things” (Julia Carolin Kothe), “questioning what does it mean to have a body in the 21st century and how one takes care of it and makes use out of the physical means of our existence” (Saulė Noreikaitė), playing with “both literal and figurative layers, with each layer drawing away the previous relative or part” (Debbie Young), exploring the “fragility of human existence by reflecting the primal human rituals and mythologies” (Katerina Sidorova), “interested in human and non-human animal relations and nature representation systems” (Indrė Liškauskaitė), focusing on “different people in different constellations – on space and material” (Sara Björg) and creating “unpredictable environments and absurd situations” (Andrej Polukord).
Viewers are to be given an opportunity to distinguish the factual from the fictional by themselves. The audience will be invited to think together with the artists on how can we collectively repurpose the utopian ideas of “The Saturn Youth Group” and utilise them to create a healthier community right now and not in the distant future, on a planet far far away.
Artists: Julia Carolin Kothe, Saulė Noreikaitė, Debbie Young, Katerina Sidorova, Indrė Liškauskaitė, Sara Björg, Andrej Polukord
Opening: 29/07/2020, 7 pm at “Atletika” gallery (Vitebsko 21, Vilnius)
Public discussion and exhibition tour with artists: 30/07/2020, 7 pm.
Exhibition opening dates & times: 30/07 – 09/08/2020, Thursdays to Sundays 2 to 7 pm.
The exhibition is organised by „SID YOUNG“, Saulė Noreikaitė, Lithuanian Interdisciplinary Artists’ Association and VšĮ “Marginalia”.
The project is funded by Lithuanian Council for Culture, Stroom Den Haag and Vilnius City Municipality
Design: Saulė Igarytė
