PARALLELS. LITHUANIAN ARCHITECTURE: THREE ERAS, THREE FACES
Architecture, being a very public, visible and comparatively enduring art, is one of the most comprehensive and accurate mirrors reflecting the history of human civilization, as well as the development of nations and societies.Over the past century, Lithuania has experienced several radical changes. The excitement and pride which resulted from the establishment of the first independent democratic Lithuanian Republic in 1918 soon diminished, a couple of decades later, following Soviet occupation. This era of deprivation of privacy, freedom of speech and thought – of any individual choice overall – ended in 1990, when the independence of Lithuania was reinstated. The country suddenly stepped into the world of capitalism, full of abundant possibilities and competition.
This exhibition examines the evolution of Lithuanian architecture during the last century, in light of these shifting contexts, and aims to present and explain the role of changing socio-economic systems, social values and fashion on the design of the urban environment. How did these drastic changes resonate in the buildings being created in Lithuania?
Three critical historical periods are explored in this display, and are represented by the key architectural styles which emerged during these times: the first independent republic of Lithuania (1918 – 1940), the Soviet era (1940 – 1990), and the recent decades after the reinstatement of independence in 1990.
The buildings are arranged into seven groups, defined by function (recreational, meetings, spiritual enrichment, residential education, management and administration, business), and each group consists of three buildings that represent each of the historical periods. The exhibition is complemented by 7 documentaries, showing contemporary buildings with further examples in the catalogue.
Visitors are invited to explore the similarities and differences relating to the aesthetics, ideas and symbols encoded in Lithuanian architecture, and gain a good overview of the types of buildings that have been constructed during the country’s recent history.
9SEPTEMBER – 11 OCTOBER 2013
RIBA, GALLERY ONE
66 Portland Place, London, W1B 1AD
Organized by: Architects Association of Lithuania
Curator: Rūta Leitanaitė
Partners: Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in the UK, Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
Sponsored by: Culture Support Fund of Lithuania
Exhibition catalogue: Will be available in the RIBA Bookshop.
Contact: Rūta Leitanaitė, email: info@architektusajunga.lt
Photo: Sports Palace - Raimondas Urbakavičius
