The opening of Dovilė Gudačiauskaitė’s exhibition ‘Rose Garden’ will take place on the 9th of October at 6 PM at the VAA gallery ‘Artifex’.
The word ‘rosary’ derives from the Latin rosarium, meaning ‘rose garden.’ This reflects the origin of prayers to the Virgin Mary, dating back to the 13th century when knights would show their devotion by placing a wreath of roses on her image or offering a spiritual wreath—the rosary prayer. Today, old scarves, once worn by devout grandmothers, are becoming a rare sight. Though you can still find them in rural churches, they are slowly disappearing along with the elderly women who wear them. During the Soviet era, grandmothers often secretly passed down the rosary prayer, which they viewed as a strongest weapon against the evils of the world. Many stories recount how people, during years of exile or imprisonment in Soviet labor camps, held onto their faith through the rosary. Interestingly, the bomber jacket — now a popular piece of clothing — originated from the uniforms of American Air Force pilots. In my work, I repurpose old, memory-filled textiles, turning them into garments that symbolize ‘uniforms of peace.’ Using special knots from the Orthodox tradition, I weave rosaries—symbols of peace.
I would like to express my gratitude to:
• Aistis Mickevičius, founder and creator of niche perfumery brand Fum par Fum, for creating a special scent for the installation;
• poet Indrė Valantinaitė for contributing her poetry to this project;
• Baltabalta, whose symposium ‘Experiences of Wonder in the Land of Mary’, held in the summer of 2023, inspired this idea;
• and I thank all the wonderful people who donated their scarves.
2024, October, Dovilė Gudačiauskaitė
Dovilė Gudačiauskaitė (b. 1979) is a textile artist and fashion designer. She completed her Bachelor’s (2006) and Master’s studies (2014) and is currently a lecturer at the Vilnius Academy of Arts. The recurring theme of clothing in Dovilė’s work extends beyond questions of function or design trends, transcending conventional boundaries to become metaphors and art objects that explore existential themes — humanity, time, memory, birth, and death. Dovilė consistently presents her work in exhibitions and has been designing theater costumes for performances for over a decade.
Working hours: II-V 12-6 P.M., VI 12-4 P.M.
