The Lithuanian creators, especially the Pakui Hardware collective, are prominently showcasing the urgent threats of the climate crisis through their latest solo exhibition titled ‘Inflammation.’
This compelling exhibition not only mirrors the dire consequences of environmental degradation but also has been chosen as Lithuania’s showpiece for the 60th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia 2024.
Running from April 20 to November 24, ‘Inflammation’ marks Lithuania’s continued commitment to highlighting climate change issues. The exhibition is currently partially open to the public at the Museum of Applied Arts and Design in Vilnius and will be fully presented in the Lithuanian pavilion by the Lithuanian National Museum of Art at the Venice event.
The exhibition’s intense visual narrative features a “flaming” planet and human bodies amidst a backdrop of scorched landscapes, plastic soil dunes, and arches of geological and pre-historical fossils. Artificial objects resembling inflamed human organs add a surreal touch, depicting the metaphor of inflammation — medically, a response to harmful stimuli, paralleling the earth’s reaction to ecological harm.
Inspirations for ‘Inflammation’ include the book “Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Injustice” by Marya Rupa and Raj Patel, which connects human suffering with planetary distress, highlighting the economic and social toll on both. The installation’s architecture, crafted by Ona Lozuraitytė-Išorė and Petras Išora-Lozuraitis, uses plastic as a symbol of enduring ecological impact, underscoring the planet’s suffering.
Significantly, ‘Inflammation’ also incorporates works by modernist painter Marija Teresė Rožanskaitė, linking human medicine and the body, thus enriching the thematic depth of the exhibition.
Reflecting on past Lithuanian representations at the Venice Biennale, the 2019 pavilion featured ‘Sun & Sea (Marina),’ an opera-performance addressing ecological issues, which earned the prestigious Golden Lion for Best National Participation. This legacy underscores Lithuania’s ongoing artistic commitment to climate crisis themes.
Moreover, La Biennale di Venezia itself has become a platform for environmental activism, achieving climate neutrality in its 2022 festival editions, showcasing the influential role of art in ecological advocacy.
‘Inflammation’ by Pakui Hardware is more than an art exhibition; it’s a wake-up call to the realities of climate change, integrating artistic expression with environmental activism. The exhibition is open at the Museum of Applied Arts and Design in Vilnius until February 11, offering a unique opportunity to witness this impactful fusion of art and ecological consciousness.
