Guns, Politics, and the Power of Poetry
In a world often clouded by political divisiveness and cultural complexities, events like the recent gathering organized by the John Adams Institute where I attended a discussion on "Merchants of the Right: Gun Sellers and the Crisis of American Democracy" by Jennifer Carlson, followed by a captivating spoken word performance by Jackie Ashkin, serve as poignant reminders of the multifaceted nature of our society.
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[Travel] Embracing Serenity
In the rhythm of our daily lives, there often comes a moment when the soul yearns for respite, a sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle. For me, that sanctuary lies in the embrace of travel—the opportunity to explore new or already familiar horizons, immerse myself in cultures, and reconnect with the essence of life itself. This time, my journey led me to the sun-kissed shores of Puglia, Italy, [read more…]
Ringo 1986
Last night, amidst the warm glow of the Lili Centre in Luzern, surrounded by friends and colleagues, something truly special unfolded. It was the opening of Lina Petravičiūtė's solo exhibition, "Ringo 1986" – a deeply personal journey into the depths of pain, vulnerability, and healing.
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"None of Us Are Enjoying This"
But I did. Through the rainy streets of Utrecht I followed my way into a cozy cafe to find my dear dear friend Jackie preparing for her premiere of “None of Us Are Enjoying This” crafted by her with collaborator Jędrzej Jędraszyk. To me it was not merely a performance but an invitation to pause, contemplate, and feel. [read more..]
Beyond Heaven & Earth
As the sun gently set over the picturesque landscapes of Friesland, I was grateful to be there at Museum Belvédère for a remarkable cultural event thanks to the Embassy of Lithuania graciously extended invitation. [read more…]
celebrate moments, words and connections
Embracing the Tapestry of Life: A Journey of Creativity, Community, and Celebrating Every Chapter with Word Up [read more…]
When there was no Christmas
I grew up with no Christmas.
It was forbidden. Everything associated with religion, family and Christmas peace, according to the Soviets, was supposed to disappear, but it never did. They tried to convince that Christmas is a pagan holiday celebrated only by dark people and that educated communists do not engage in such nonsense. I grew up with Christmas that was a very different experience. [read more..]
(un)framing moments
The magic truly happens in the "behind the scenes" moments. It's the connection forged with my subjects, the shared laughter, the whispered stories, and the unspoken bonds that become an integral part of the visual tale. These moments are the heartbeat of my artistry, the raw emotions that infuse life into every frame. […]
ecosystems within
Past few weeks have been a journey. Out of my comfort zone mostly, out of the usual crazy schedule to an even more timed existance. I received an invitation to speak at a Forum “Culture + Ecology” and I walked into my fear. [read more…]
grow slow
Marking yet another trip around the sun I really wanted to open up on the importance of balancing professional, personal and everything in between. I did spend some good time reflecting on the monumental moments and especially standing on a verge of a new era for me. [read more…]
Behind the Scenes: Unveiling the Making of the 'Programmers of the Future' Expo
Today signifies the conclusion of the enchanting and thought-provoking "Seeing the Unwritten" exposition. It was a very special experience being able to witness the making of and the living of exposition by the Programmers of the Future which was a part of the greater project of EYE film museum.
Unfolding European Travel
I have designed a six day trip across the Netherlands and it was featured in a travel guide for European travel - “Įdomiausios Kelionės po Europą” (“The Most Interesting Travels around Europe”).
planting flowers
With this spring that is a bit confusing and still raining fear, bombs and shelling in Ukraine, I have also learned so much about Ukrainian culture. I heard this phrase “Ukrainian people are boarn with the knowledge of gardening". The way that sentence was presented to me was “Ukrainian women are boarn with the knowledge of the earth” and it really made me thinking. It made me reflecting how much women I talk to every week are excited about seeds and planting. […]
Reflection on: War Beyond the Borderlines
Being a day away from crossing the line of one year since the war started in Ukraine, since unexpecting people heard bombs falling, since millions of people faced the change of their lives that can never be repaired. I am so humbled by kind and graceful approach [..]
Softness of Time
Passing of time. I want to look at it with a certain softness, with the understanding that we don’t always remember what really was and what really was doesn’t always need to be remembered. I want to think of time as a gift, as a certain way for each and one of us to grow better, wiser and more relaxed [..read more..]
Holding space
My friend made a movie. The movie is about freedom. It’s about owning your power, about connection, inhabiting your space and creativity.
I was thinking a lot about my friend. [read more]
swimming in grey
I have never been one for sitting still. And I had plenty of situations to do so. Throughtout my life, past years. Past pandemic.
I have never known how to do that really. I suppose people now call it ADHD or other letters. I call it curiosity, restlessness.. I call it show me more. I call it, what’s next. I call it and now what….
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Present
Last week I have spent some time together with Nicholas evaluating the MyGen finals of the students at Amsterdam Fashion Institute. It was an experience both interesting, full of vulnerability and inspiration. It also gave me some ideas to speak more about the power of presenting and how you can really get a good glimpse into someone within 7 minutes of presentation and 8 minutes of asking them follow-up questions. So here are my takeaways from the experience that might help anyone with presenting or speaking in public…
walking each other home
Way back, what now feels like an eternity, maybe in March this year, a journalist asked me some questions. And one of those questions was “what do you think is the biggest obstacle when it comes to helping people fleeing the war in Ukraine?”. I remember not taking a pause to think. I remember it was so clear then and feels like premonition now. I said, “the biggest issue is perseverance”. I believed it so strongly then as see now how much fatigue people have when it comes to heavy imagery, unresolved issues, people suffering, survivors' guilt, guilt for having more than those unlucky ones or many other issues I hear from people as time goes by.