From September 12th to December 12th, as part of the Saison de la Lituanie, France is hosting more than 200 events highlighting the culture and history of Lithuania from both a heritage and contemporary perspective. The Eye of Photography discussed this major event with its curator, Virginija Vitkienė.
Could you tell us about France and Lithuania’s historic cultural relationship?
Lithuania and France have had centuries-long cultural and diplomatic relationship, which has united our governments, scholars, intellectuals, and artists from the late Middle Ages through the age Enlightenment and into the creation of modern society in the first part of the 20th century. We share similar architectural heritage in our cities. The scale of the countries and their cities is very different, of course, but you can find some of the finest examples of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture throughout Lithuania, especially in Vilnius. Additionally, Lithuania boasts a splendid heritage of modern architecture in Kaunas, the country’s second city, which served as the temporary capital from 1919 to 1940. This was the period when Lithuania solidified its statehood within the democratic European family and cultivated dynamic relations with France. Even the Soviet occupation, with its harsh repressions, couldn’t break Lithuania’s drive for independence and freedom of thought. Today, our country stands firm in defending the European values we share with the French: human rights, dignity, freedom, respect of others, inclusion, and sovereignty.
This season’s theme is “Se voir en l’autre.” (to see oneself in the other) How did it emerge? What are the main themes of the Saison de la Lituanie?
The other is always different, but never entirely other. The Season of Lithuania in France 2024 is an invitation to see oneself in another. Se voir en l’autre is an invitation to encounter shared culture(s) and find commonalities. The concept, which refers to Lithuanian-born French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas’ theory of “Other” and “Otherness,” is revealed through the themes of Global Neighbourhoods, Empowered Identities, and Unleashed Imagination. It emerged from a desire to reduce the mental distance caused by too little knowledge about each other and to come closer by co-creating a shared vision for our future.
A cross-disciplinary program bringing together 200 projects across France will highlight Lithuania’s rich culture, including major exhibitions showcasing the country’s foremost artistic productions. What can we expect in the field of photography?
We are presenting more than 20 exhibitions and events centered on photography during the season. Beginning with a historical approach—19th-century photography by Benoît Henri Tyszkiewicz (1852-1935) showcased at the Musée Nicéphore Niépce—we offer French audiences the chance to discover Lithuanian Humanist photography from the 1970s and 1980s, featuring iconic names such as Antanas Sutkus, Virgilijus Šonta, Violeta Bubelytė, Aleksandras Macijauskas, Romualdas Rakauskas, and Vitas Luckus. This then progresses to the post-humanist approach of Algirdas Šeškus, Rimaldas Vikšraitis, Algis Griškevičius, and more recent contemporary work using photography as a medium. Among these, I would highlight Gerda Paliušytė, who is presented at Jeu de Paume, or Andrej Polukord in Mulhouse, among others. A significant role in uniting key institutions like Paris Photo, the Centre Pompidou, and the BNF is played by French curator Sonia Voss. She is leading several projects, including the main presentation at Paris Photo, “The Forms of Things, The Forms of Skulls, Forms of Love: Lithuanian Photography at Paris Photo, an Unseen Scene,” which will showcase more than 100 photo prints.
This season is not only an opportunity to showcase the richness of Lithuanian culture in France but also to initiate long-term collaborations. Can you tell us about the projects that have been put in place?
Many projects and exhibitions have plans to continue in both Lithuania and France in the coming years. We are thrilled about new acquisitions of visual artworks and photographs for the national collections of France, as well as planned artist residencies, exchanges, and tours of theatre, contemporary dance, and circus productions. Essentially, each project selected for the Season had to have a long-term partnership strategy between the institutions involved, so we are confident that this short and intense Saison will have a lasting impact.
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