ANALYSING THE BEAST (2019)
The performative event “Analysing the Beast” is a collaboration between two Lithuanian emerging artists, Paulius Markevičius and Barbora Šulniūtė. The performance was created on the basis of documentary inspirations during the trips made around Lithuania, whilst analysing the beast, its environment and the natural need of the ritual. The creators have visited Lithuanian settlements that have experienced the greatest demographic changes within the last 10 years in the country as well as the National parks. They analysed what sort of "beasts" live in those areas.
For the creators it was important to find the “beasts” who live there, how their adaptation features change and whose habitats or the entire species is vanishing. This event is a space between the performance and the installation, when the boundary between the observer and the participant assimilates and disappears, fusing together in the common space of time, as if breaking the usual laws of physics. There is no linear flow of time in the work process. It is a ritual-like sense of being focused on purpose, action, state, and everything else around, like being in the centre of a whirlwind, full of peace, but around - the earth mixes with heaven, objects, things, plants, humans, animals.
The work is intended to draw attention to the natural need of the ritual. Of course, in its specifics the space can provoke quite different feelings, different rituals, for every observer and participant. So we will be happy if such a individual approach and experience will be revealed this event.
What do we call the beast?
Is human a beast?
In any case, the human is led by feeling, hunger, desire, crave, thirst - the beast.
Photographs: Tomas Terekas
Authors and creators Barbora Šulniūtė, Paulius Markevičius
Premiere 2019 03 08 Vilnius
Producer Urban Sanctuary