GLITCH ARCHIVES // meta mo(nu)ments
Circa 2014
Excerpts from a video installation for a collaborative project META MO(NU)MENTS.
The project was part of a ‘BE STOGO’14 art festival taking place in Kaunas, Lithuania.
In this project, artists were invited to delve into the shifting sands of cultural values and art's evolution over time. The subject of their exploration was the selection of old post-Soviet sculptures and monuments, serving as a canvas for experimentation and profound research on this compelling theme.
The project description beautifully highlights the evolving nature of our living environment. As time progresses, our needs evolve, leading to the incorporation of new objects that serve both functional and aesthetic purposes. Through these objects, we not only infuse meaning into our existence but also create a lasting imprint for ourselves and future generations, fostering a collective memory.
However, the passage of time, as well as human activities, inevitably transform these objects. They lose their original physical form, bearing the scars of both age and the sometimes destructive actions of humans. As the environment and generations shift, the objects gradually lose their direct connection with their original context, seemingly frozen in time and detached from their initial significance.
The (META) MONUMENTS project takes on the profound task of deconstructing, reconstructing, and transforming the state-of-the-art objects found in Kaukas alley and Kaunas Public Library park. These objects are not just sculptures or monuments but are reimagined through various artistic mediums. They become installations, integral elements of performances, sound art, and figures of public engagement, effectively rekindling their relevance in new, innovative ways.
The project's primary objective is to revitalize these existing objects that have become stagnant relics of the past within an ever-changing environment. Through creative experimentation, it opens new perspectives on these objects, rediscovering their original purposes, and potentially weaving their original meanings into fresh, contemporary surroundings. In this process, it offers an intriguing exploration of the enduring dialogue between the past and the present.