The Memory Of Water

The project started in September 2019 with the first creative residency taking place in Lithuania at Nida Art Colony In 2020, Vilija Vitkute (visual artist/body painter) and Małgorzata Suś (dancer/choreographer) founded The Memory of Water Productions, a non-profit organization that connects various art disciplines with a focus on the protection of water and marine life. It gathers professional artists, scientists, and activists to create performances, films, photography, and audiovisual installations.

Initially, the goal of the project was to create a large-scale dance and body painting performance addressing water and raising awareness about the climate crisis. It was meant to be presented as part of the European Capital of Culture event in Lithuania in 2020, but due to the pandemic and financial crisis, the project was canceled.

Rather than giving up, we decided to explore alternative ways to continue the project. In September 2020, we had a residency in Lofoten, Norway, where we created a series of photographs and short films. In September 2021 and 202, the project team traveled to Iceland, focusing on making art film and a photography collection. In May 2022, we went to Gotland to create the short film "Halo-cline," dedicated to the Baltic Sea. The photos have already been presented in exhibitions, while the art films are in post-production. In 2023, we returned to Iceland a smaller team to complete the film production. In 2024, we held several artist residencies in the Azores, Sweden, Norway, where we created performances and exhibitions, culminating in a grand premiere.

Additionally, in July 2021, we presented a performance/installation at the World Bodypainting Festival in Klagenfurt, showcasing Vilija Vitkute's artworks created for The Memory of Water. In October 2021, the same exhibition and performance were shown in Tjörn, Sweden, as part of the Avtryck. In total, the project involved 15 international artists representing various disciplines, including film, photography, body painting, dance, sound, documentary, and costume design.

We collaborated with environmental such as Magdalena Gschnitzer, Kirsten Åkerman and Elisabeth Lund, as well as organizations like Folkeaksjonen Oljefritt Lofoten, Vesterålen og Senja, Hopespot Gotland, and Blue Azores.

 

Today, after five years of developing the project, we are able to create The Memory of Water and performance. We have developed smaller performances and a larger exhibition format due to the visual nature of the project, collaborating with museums where the artworks can remain for an extended and be seen by a larger audience.

The project had its grand premiere inås, Sweden thanks to our partnering organizations Borås Stadt Theatre and Abecita Museum, as well as in Norway at the Lofoten Arbeidern Culture House. An upcoming premiere this year will take place at the Sterzing Theatre in the Italian Alps. Our project events attracted a diverse audience of various ages (16 to 85+), including local attendees and people with disabilities who were able to attend our exhibitions and shows.

We plan to present we have created over the past five years: a series of photographs, dance/art films from Iceland, Gotland, Norway, and the Azores, a behind-the-scenes documentary, paper costumes/art, and a live body painting and dance performance. Our exhibition will take the audience on a journey through water and address topics such as the climate crisis, coral bleaching, the condition of marine animals, melting ice, the uniqueness of nature, the endangered Baltic Sea environment and humanity's loss of connection to nature. The aim is to bring hope and inspire change.