Witty, clever, thoughtful and sad stories by Paulina Eglė Pukytė
19 March, 2009. The Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania presents the artist, writer / essayist and cultural commentator Paulina Eglė Pukytė and her new book Fake Rabbit. Paulina observes and analyses various cultural phenomena in London and Vilnius with the sharp eye of an artist, with no lack of humour, irony, and wit. This makes her stories an enjoyable and intellectual read. The author will discuss her book with the translator Romas Kinka (in English). Also on view will be Pukytė's new works of moving image. The evening starts at 7 pm. Free, but space is limited and advance booking essential, email culture@lithuanianembassy.co.uk to reserve or call 020 7935 9872.
Paulina Eglė Pukytė (b.1966) graduated from the Vilnius Academy of Art, and received a Masters degree from the Royal College of Art in London. Paulina has been exhibiting her artwork since 1989. Since 2002 she has been writing for a Lithuanian news website and a cultural weekly 7 meno dienos (7 Days of Art). She contributes to other publications in Lithuania and Interlude magazine in London. She lives and works in London and Vilnius.
Her first book, Their Habits, is a collection of short essays about an Eastern European’s life in London, full of subtle humour and slight nostalgia. The second, Fake Rabbit, comments on various cultural phenomena in London and Vilnius.
According to Paulina, the goal of all her creative work is to encourage critical thinking, a different angle of perception in everyday life. “There are people who think as if in wallpaper patterns; in their minds any idea or text falls into a certain mould and can never mean anything more than that person already knew. I see those ideas flutter as if in Guantanamo Bay, and it makes me want to fight for their rights. There are people who think they know how everything everywhere is, and if they haven’t encountered something that means it simply doesn’t exist. There is nothing more dangerous than those, but we are unwilling to acknowledge it.”
19 March, 7 pm, Lithuanian Embassy in London (84 Gloucester Place, London W1U 6AU, Tube: Baker Street). RSVP: culture@lithuanianembassy.co.uk, tel. 020 7935 9872
