Biblioteka
The theme “Ideas. Creative and Destructive” invites us to explore what our ideas are, where they come from, and to reflect on the underlying aspects of our beliefs. My idea is simple: can one consider themselves an artist when they are not producing a body of work in a traditional sense, but instead use their creative drive to build spaces or infrastructures where other artists can exhibit, the public can engage in meaningful dialogue, and educational pathways can nurture future generations of artists?
This idea stems from my experience of seeing how influential such spaces can be – how they create foundations for artistic development and critical thought. Furthermore, there is a bitter reality: in many countries (the UK especially), public libraries, community art centres, and free educational spaces are being closed due to cuts in arts funding, growing inequality, and commercial property development. I believe it is essential to sustain an ecosystem where individuals have diverse drives and forms of expression, in order to withstand external pressures and continue to foster creativity and critical thinking.
I propose an installation/reading space structure featuring a curated collection of books from Biblioteka, Photobookshow, and a selection of works by Lithuanian artists, archives, and private or public collections. I intend to intentionally shift the focus away from myself as an individual and instead create a space where published authors can be encountered, inviting the audience to participate in the acts of reading, seeing, and reflecting.