Positive Stories: Exhibition
In 2021, I began a project rooted in a simple yet powerful intention: to create space for more positive narratives and to make visible the lived experiences of Lithuanian women building their lives beyond the borders of Lithuania. What started as intimate conversations gradually grew into Positive Stories - an evolving archive of dialogue and portrait photography dedicated to women of the Lithuanian diaspora.
Over the past years, I have spoken with women living across different countries, each carrying her own migration story, professional path, questions of belonging, and personal transformation. Some left in search of education or career opportunities, others for love, safety, adventure, or reinvention. Their stories are not defined by departure alone, but by resilience, creativity, leadership, and the quiet strength required to build a life between cultures.
Photography is central to this work. Each portrait I create is the result of time, trust, and presence. The camera becomes not just a tool of documentation, but a way of witnessing. Through these images, I aim to capture more than appearance - I seek to reflect inner strength, vulnerability, and the layered identities that emerge when one lives between homeland and host country. Together, the conversations and portraits form a living archive of contemporary Lithuanian womanhood abroad.
This year, the project reaches a particularly meaningful milestone. I am deeply honored and excited that the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania to the Kingdom of the Netherlands is placing a special focus on women from the project who live in or have a connection to the Netherlands. This context adds another layer of dialogue - between nations, between histories, and between personal and collective identity.
The exhibition opens on March 8th, International Women’s Day - a date globally dedicated to recognizing the social, cultural, political, and economic achievements of women. For Lithuania, this moment is further deepened by the proximity of March 11th, the day marking the re-establishment of Lithuanian independence in 1990. Presenting these stories in this timeframe feels symbolic: it honors both national resilience and the individual courage of women who continue shaping Lithuania’s global presence.
Positive Stories is not only about migration. It is about voice. It is about visibility. It is about acknowledging that the Lithuanian story does not end at its geographic borders. It continues wherever Lithuanian women live, create, lead, and dream. If you would like to join me for the opening of this exhibition in the Hague, click here. My beautiful friend Julia from Lick the Plate will be adding some amazing snacks to this moment, too.