On December 6, 7pm, Kompresorinė (A. Goštauto st. 11, Vilnius) will open the exhibition “Chronology of Relationship” by artists Roma Mikalauskytė, Paula Vaitkutė, Eva Lauma (Evelina Tamkvaitienė) and Can Etterlin.
This exhibition explores the collective human relationship with the environment in the Anthropocene, a time when human activity profoundly impacts the planet’s ecosystems. Using different prisms, the four artists delve into the complex balance between nature, humanity, and the ever-changing cycles of life and death, emphasizing their essential role in the ecological narrative.
In the project “Index of Happiness,” Roma Mikalauskytė leads the audience through the prism of physics, revealing the illusions that often obscure the perception of happiness and well-being. The artist questions the notion of happiness, one that prefers a beautiful façade without a solid foundation, becoming an illusion that is never attainable. Based on the ideas of happiness considered in this project, the exhibition proposes to look at this concept from the perspective of the relationship between humans and their environment, where the perception of happiness is inseparable from understanding oneself as a part of nature.
The artistic installation “Coordinate 55°13’31.5″N 22°53’57.3″E I Mutation” by Paulė Vaitkutė invites philosophical reflections on the relationship between culture and nature, conveying a personal connection with the forest in an attempt to recreate it in a unique way – through artistic practices. Plastic prints of tree trunks without roots, branches, or leaves allow for the creation of a fictitious interpretation of a future forest. The printing of tree trunks raises questions about reproduction in art, alluding to man-made artificial landscapes and mass production. The artist questions our perception of reality and proposes enabling new ways of understanding the forest and nature by considering the relationship between humans and nature.
These connections are also revealed in Eva Lauma’s series of works, “Farewell – Life,” which, like a nostalgic ode to disappearing spruce trees, observes the cycles of life and death in nature. By appreciating the recurrence of these natural processes in human existence, we can better position ourselves in the wider context of nature, not only as human beings in a constant state of flux but also as beings who impact their environment – nurturing or upsetting the delicate balance of life.
The cycles of nature are also unveiled in Can Etterlin’s “Das Wasser ist niemals einsam” (Water is never alone), where the artist embarks on a journey with the flow of water. On this journey, he captures his relationship with nature, observing how the environment affects him and, conversely, how he affects it. In this way, the artist creates an audiovisual experience based on a sensory exploration of nature and a search for resonance. His project encourages us to listen to the spontaneous symphony that nature creates and to understand our role in its disturbances as well as its harmony.
The exhibition unifies the visions of these artists, emphasizing the urgent need to reconnect with the environment and reminding us that human existence is not exclusive but rather an integral part of the never-ending story of nature – a harmonious dance of life, death, and renewal.