WHAT WAS PROPOSED WAS NOT ALLOWED. ALSO IT WASN’T ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED. IT WASN’T EVEN ALLOWED TO TALK THAT IT WASN’T ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT ALL THIS – Saulius Leonavičius' exhibition at JMVAC

On Thursday, July 31st, 6 pm Jonas Mekas visual art center opens an exhibition by Saulius Leonavičius titled “WHAT WAS PROPOSED WAS NOT ALLOWED. ALSO IT WASN’T ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED. IT WASN’T EVEN ALLOWED TO TALK THAT IT WASN’T ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT ALL THIS”.

For an exhibition I have selected the works of recent years which can be called interventions or/and appropriations. Another criteria for selecting the works is their direct connection to Lithuanian artists or local contexts. I also use an opportunity to address particular institution and stories connected to them. Motivation to manipulate other artists’ artworks is the need for disturbance of their status quo and meanings that they carry. Each work is a trespass of a certain rule as well as an observation how they are neutralised in a gallery space. If there is any purpose of such actions, probably it is an intention to spoil and confuse relations among language, art work and context. One of the reasons for that may be an attempt to deny any metaphysical conditioning of an artwork and its independence from institutional templates. At the same time it is an observation how structures themselves can become self reflective and self critical. Obviously any disturbances are just another way across this language field, by observing its (un)limitation.

Saulius Leonavičius

Saulius Leonavičius belongs to the camp of dematerialised socio-esthetics, who is interested in socio-political (institutional) relationships of space and time. Leonavičius in most of his works questions status of an „art work“ and its functioning in the art system. His works are contextual in primary sense because frequently deconstructs particular context, by opening (previously latent) socio-political layers in the (from the first sight) innocent socio-esthetic space. Frequently, for such „deconstructions“ mini-interventions, micro-actions or daily practices that are difficult to define in esthetic terms are used. Leonavičius creates situations which inevitably highlights (hide) basic normative mechanics of a certain discourse and/or an institutional system. In other words, he is digging under the basement of „art“.

At Jonas Mekas visual art center Saulius Leonavičius presents mini-retrospective of his works and also a new work centered on this institution.

Kęstutis Šapoka