‘Breaking the Joints’ is a group exhibition and event programme that considers the status of the body within the history of animation, elaborating on the essential concepts of cartoons, while also examining what these modes of world-building can tell us about our world today.
Back in the 1930s, animators were faced with a problem: the rubber-hose style of rendering bodies in motion was too fluid, abstracted, and without physical structure, while rotoscoping – the practice of tracing over live-action footage – resulted in rigid mechanical movements without vitality. The Disney animator and labour rights activist Art Babbitt came up with a solution: to give force, flexibility, and believability to animated bodies, one must successively ‘break their joints’. Indeed, they discovered that to give characters flesh and bone, solidity and weight, they had to disfigure their anatomy. This method suggests a certain violence and trauma at the heart of the cartoon world, but also a pliability and plasticity of the body and matter itself, demonstrating a counter-intuitive principle that animated realism requires a bending of physical laws.
Once relegated to the periphery as a popular art form for children’s entertainment, animation has become integral in all media production, a code through which all images and constructions are composited. At the same time, scholars across and between disciplines are increasingly turning to animation to examine not only social and physical transmutations in our society and our media but also to reconsider material objects and relations through a renewed and speculative understanding of animist, agential, and vitalist principles. As such, animation is not simply a specific historically-bound practice of techniques and conventions for moving images but can be regarded as an epistemology, a way of understanding and relating, that offers new possibilities for socio-political, cultural, and ecological critique and embodied transformation.
With a nod to the Sapieha Palace’s former use as a military hospital and ophthalmology clinic, ‘Breaking the Joints’ explores animation’s fusion of optics and anatomy, and considers legacies of bodily disfigurement and manipulation. In their works, the exhibited artists draw from and critically deploy animated tropes and techniques to address bodily anxieties and material relationships, media and trauma. More than simply giving the ‘illusion of life’, animation is, in fact, also an uncanny pact with death, occupying an interval between the emergence and dissolution of form. At the heart of it all is a narrative of the cartoon body, which often serves for the artists as a figure for the outsider, the objectified, the inhuman, the abnormal, the wounded, the dummy, the goof. Squashed and stretched, contorted and fragmented, the elastic and abstracted body of the cartoon functions for many of the artists as a model for limitless malleability, a freedom and transgression of biological constraints, hierarchies, and social norms in the face of the absurdities of reality. The exhibition considers a tension at the heart of animation: between animation as a narrative of liberation, metamorphosis, and transformation, and animation as a cyclical mechanised disciplining of the body full of violence and bittersweet gags.
Patron of CAC and Sapieha Palace: reefo
Informational partners: LRT, Žmonės
Partners: Polish Institute in Vilnius, Meno Avilys
Sponsors: Frame Contemporary Art Finland, Corner
Exhibition architecture: Vladas Suncovas
Graphic design: Jonė Miškinytė
Consultation: Marija Repšytė
Coordinator: Povilas Gumbis
Production: Kipras Garla, Povilas Gumbis, Vladas Suncovas, Baltic Art Force
Communication: Giedrė Ivanova, Luka Jefremovaitė, Danielius Radis
Technical implementation: Jokūbas Čižikas, Antanas Dombrovskij, Almantas Lukoševičius, Lukas Strolia, Matas Šatūnas, Ilona Virzinkevič
Copy editing: Gemma Lloyd, Dangė Vitkienė, Gintautė Žemaitytė
Executive Director of Sapieha Palace: Gintautė Žemaitytė
‘Breaking the Joints’
Sapieha Palace
4 April – 31 December, 2025
Artists: Gabrielė Adomaitytė, Ed Atkins, Martin Arnold, Catherine Biocca, Aline Bouvy, Barry Doupé, Peter Frederiksen, Özgür Kar, Tomasz Kowalski, Oliver Laric, Ebecho Muslimova, Nadia Naveau, Agnieszka Polska, Jani Ruscica, Mateusz Sadowski, Gary Simmons, Viktor Timofeev, Theo Triantafyllidis
Curators: Post Brothers, Edgaras Gerasimovičius
Assistant curator: Povilas Gumbis
Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Özgür Kar. Death playing the clarinet, 2023. 2-channel video, sound, duration – 12’. Courtesy of the Artist, and Emalin, London, and Edouard Montassut, Paris. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Nadia Naveau. Funny Five Minutes (Goofin’ Around), 2018. Blue stone powder, polyester, 180 × 230 × 160 cm. Courtesy of the Artist and private collection. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Nadia Naveau. Funny Five Minutes (Goofin’ Around), 2018. Blue stone powder, polyester, 180 × 230 × 160 cm. Courtesy of the Artist and private collection. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Jani Ruscica. Polynoknot (and they bloom), 2023. 4K video, shuffle play, stereo sound, endless duration. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Martin Arnold. Whistle Stop, 2014. Digital animation, duration – 3’33”. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Ebecho Muslimova. FATEBE TOAD SELF, 2024. Acrylic, high definition UV ink and oil paint on canvas, 182,88 × 182,88 cm. Courtesy of the Artist and Bernheim Gallery, London, Zurich. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
“Breaking the Joints”, exhibition view. Sapieha Palace, Vilnius. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Viktor Timofeev. April 5th 2024, 2024. Graphite on paper, 22,225 x 31,115 cm. (foregorund); and Jani Ruscica. Polynoknot (and they bloom), 2023. 4K video, shuffle play, stereo sound, endless duration. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Nadia Naveau. Les Bois de Construction de Saint-Bonnet-Tronçais, 2012. Epoxy, mixed media, 205 × 100 × 120 cm. Courtesy of the Artist and Base-Alpha Gallery (foreground); and Peter Frederiksen. Falling victim to old patterns., 2024. Freehand machine embroidery on linen, 20,32 × 25,4 cm. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Barry Doupé. Nude, 2021. Plaster, drywall compound, aluminium foil, acrylic paint, 41,9 × 30,5 × 22,9 cm. (foreground); and Ebecho Muslimova. FATEBE DREAM BAR, 2024. Acrylic, high definition UV ink and oil paint on canvas, 182,88 × 182,88 cm. Courtesy of the Artist and Fundación MEDIANOCHE0 (middleground); and Barry Doupé. Red House, 2022. 2D Computer animation, duration – 3’. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
“Breaking the Joints”, exhibition view. Sapieha Palace, Vilnius. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Barry Doupé. Nude, 2021. Plaster, drywall compound, aluminium foil, acrylic paint, 41,9 × 30,5 × 22,9 cm. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Barry Doupé. Boot, 2022. Polymer clay, aluminium foil, 27,9 × 38,1 × 15,2 cm. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
“Breaking the Joints”, exhibition view. Sapieha Palace, Vilnius. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Peter Frederiksen. Determination., 2023. Freehand machine embroidery on linen, 12,7 × 17,8 cm; Ramshackle machinations, 2023. Freehand machine embroidery on linen, 12,7 × 17,8 cm. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Catherine Biocca . FULL TIME TRAGEDY, 2016. PVC banner, built in tablet with animation in loop, no sound, 100 x 40 cm. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
“Breaking the Joints”, exhibition view. Sapieha Palace, Vilnius. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Theo Triantafyllidis. Radicalisation Pipeline, 2022. 2-channel live simulation, gaming PC, endless duration. Sound by Diego Navarro. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Nadia Naveau. Green Silver Screen, 2006. Epoxy, mixed media, 135 × 70 × 24 cm. Courtesy of the Artist and collection Franco-Janssen. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Tomasz Kowalski. Untitled, 2024. Oil and gouache on jute, wood frame, 64 x 114 x 4,5 cm. Courtesy of the Artist and Łukasz Górka. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
“Breaking the Joints”, exhibition view. Sapieha Palace, Vilnius. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Aline Bouvy. PUP I, 2018 Fabrics, ceramics, watercolour, epoxy, motor, wire, glass, artificial hair, wood, dimensions variable. Courtesy of the Artist and IKOB – Museum für Zeitgenössische Kunst; Primitive Accumulation, 2019. Ceramic bisque, watercolour, one cent pieces, 35 × 23 × 18 cm; The Narrator, 2019. Ceramic bisque, watercolour, 20 × 10 × 12 cm; PUP II (version 2), 2020. Ceramic bisque, watercolour, hair, glass eyes, 10 × 28 × 33 cm; PUP III, 2020. Ceramic bisque, watercolour, 17 × 27 × 35 cm. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Aline Bouvy. PUP I, 2018. Fabrics, ceramics, watercolour, epoxy, motor, wire, glass, artificial hair, wood. Dimensions variable. Courtesy of the Artist and IKOB – Museum für Zeitgenössische Kunst. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Aline Bouvy. The Narrator, 2019. Ceramic bisque, watercolour, 20 × 10 × 12 cm; PUP II (version 2), 2020. Ceramic bisque, watercolour, hair, glass eyes, 10 × 28 × 33 cm. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Aline Bouvy. Primitive Accumulation, 2019. Ceramic bisque, watercolour, one cent pieces, 35 × 23 × 18 cm. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Aline Bouvy. PUP III, 2020. Ceramic bisque, watercolour, 17 × 27 × 35 cm. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Tomasz Kowalski. Untitled (Train), 2024. Oil and gouache on jute, 98 × 152 x 4,5 cm. Courtesy of the Artist and Tomasz Pasiek. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Peter Frederiksen. Caught, off guard, again., 2024. Freehand machine embroidery on linen, 15,24 × 20,3 cm. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Ed Atkins. Even Pricks, 2013. HD video, 5.1 surround sound, duration – 8’. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko.
Oliver Laric. Hermanubis, 2021. SLS nylon, SLA resin, acrylic paint, aluminium 230 × 54,5 × 73,5 cm; Gabrielė Adomaitytė. Held Between Frames, 2025. Oil on canvas 205 × 400 × 4,5 cm. Courtesy of the Artist and Gratin (New York); Ed Atkins. Even Pricks, 2013. HD video, 5.1 surround sound, duration – 8’. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Oliver Laric. Hermanubis, 2021. SLS Nylon, SLA resin, acrylic paint, aluminium base, 230 × 54,5 × 73.5 cm. Courtesy of the Artist and Tanya Leighton, Berlin, Los Angeles. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Gabrielė Adomaitytė. Hold Between Frames, 2025. Oil on linen, 205 × 400 × 4,5 cm. Courtesy of the Artist and Gratin, New York. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Gabrielė Adomaitytė. Absolute Angle, 2025. Oil on linen, 205 × 400 × 4,5 cm. Courtesy of the Artist and Gratin, New York. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
. “Breaking the Joints”, exhibition view. Sapieha Palace, Vilnius. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Mateusz Sadowski. Time Settings, 2022. 4K video, stop-motion animation, sound, duration – 6’22” (foreground); and Time Settings, 2022. Object from the animation, xerox prints, cardboard, plasticine, 285 × 35 × 30 cm. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Mateusz Sadowski. Time Settings, 2022. Object from the animation, xerox prints, cardboard, plasticine, 285 × 35 × 30 cm. (fragment). Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Gary Simmons. Twins, 2011. Pastel on paper, 2 panels, each: 106,7 × 76,2 cm / Overall: 106,7 × 153,7 cm. Courtesy of the Artist and Hauser & Wirth. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Agnieszka Polska. Correction Exercises, 2008. Video, sound, duration – 8’02’’. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Oliver Laric. Hundemensch, 2018. Polyurethane, 53 × 52 × 58 cm. (foreground); and Hundemensch, 2018. Polyurethane, pigment, 53 × 52 × 58 cm. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Jani Ruscica. Companion Piece (Purple Movement), 2025. Site-specific mural, glass paint on glass windows (fragment). Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Jani Ruscica. Companion Piece (Purple Movement), 2025. Site-specific mural, glass paint on glass windows (fragment). Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
Barry Doupé. Bubble Boing, 2017. 3D computer animation, duration – 7’38”. Photographer: Andrej Vasilenko
