The renowned Lithuanian performance artist Monika Dirsytė, who recently received her Doctor of Arts degree and presented a book, is back with a new performance. The artist, who is famous for her performances that require physical endurance and constantly amazes the audience, will soon present a new performance art piece in a unique space – the Vilnius railway station.
The latest work “Walls” is dedicated to a relevant and sensitive topic – migration, refugee integration and challenges in Lithuania. The artistic performance will take place on May 13, from 12 to 20 p.m. EET, at the railway station event space.
“With the eight-hour artistic performance, I will seek to create a physical and emotional metaphor for the state of a migrant. I have experienced migration myself. I know very well what it means to try to find your place in another country, in another culture. It is difficult, even if, as was the case in my case, I left voluntarily, not for geopolitical or other reasons,” says M. Dirsytė.
The performance space will feature an installation of walls and a suitcase, and the artist will physically express the inner state of a migrant through her actions: uncertainty, waiting, helplessness, and efforts to establish herself between two worlds. The walls used in the installation are a symbol of the obstacles migrants face: physical, emotional, and social challenges.
“The space chosen for the performance was a highly symbolic one. Life trajectories intertwine here, new journeys begin here. It is a place where the experience of migration is revealed in a particularly sensitive way – from uncertainty to hope,” says the artist.
The visual part of the performance will be accompanied by a sound installation. The audience will hear about loneliness, language barriers, unemployment, discrimination and cultural challenges that migrants face. In this way, the artist invites us to look at the reality of migrants as an integrated part of our everyday life, often unnoticed.
“With this work, I aim not only to convey the experience of migration, but also to encourage society to think about what is happening around us and the importance of our attitude towards migration and empathy for migrants on their journey of integration,” says M. Dirsytė.
Event is part of the RISE project implemented by the Vilnius Office of the International Organization for Migration (IOM Lithuania). The aim of the RISE project is to promote public dialogue about the experiences of migrants and their integration in Lithuania, as well as to encourage people to become supporters of newcomers on their integration journey. The RISE project is funded by the European Union’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (2021-2027).
We invite you to watch the performance “Walls” live.
Date: May 13, 12:00–20:00
Location: Vilnius railway station event hall (next to the main arrivals/departures hall)