Vilnius Biennial of Performance Art
The Vilnius Biennial of Performance Art (VB) is an ongoing international event dedicated to contemporary performance art, organised by Vilnius City Gallery Meno Niša and directed by Diana Stomienė, with Neringa Bumblienė as Artistic Director. The first Biennial took place in 2023 as part of the Vilnius’ 700th-anniversary programme.
The second Vilnius Biennial of Performance Art is scheduled to take place in 2026 in the public and semi-public spaces in Vilnius. VB26 will introduce city’s residents and guests to performances by both established and emerging Lithuanian and international artists.
Theme of VB26
The theme of the upcoming Biennial is ‘Ruins’. As Bumblienė elaborates: ‘This time, I’m contemplating ruins – a state we’ve all been immersed in for some time now. We are beyond the initial shock waves; what we see now is what remains after the blasts and dust clouds have settled. A chill permeates every crevice, slowly engulfing the city and us, until nothing is left but the wide and all-encompassing horizon of its impact. The ruins, overt and still, invite us to dive deep much like large animals in the vast ocean. Within them also lies a promise. I think it is important to consciously stay there, to seek out and learn from what we find, and to change before moving forward.’
Programme
VB26 programme will consist of works by guest artists, curated by Neringa Bumblienė, and works by artists selected by an international jury, formed of João Laia, Charles Aubin ir N. Bumblienė, through an open call. The competition programme of Vilnius Biennial of Performance Art is open to all artists, with no restrictions on age, country, or other criteria.
About the inaugural VB23
The VB23 programme consisted of works by guest artists, curated by Neringa Bumblienė, and works by artists selected by an international jury, formed of Maria Arusoo, Neringa Bumblienė, and Joanna Zielińska, through an open call. The Biennial showcased 18 performances by both international and Lithuanian artists, with nearly half being new works commissioned and produced by VB23.
The opening event of VB23 was held on January 23, 2023 with the performance Aphotia — a new work by Emilija Škarnulytė at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre as part of the curated programme.
The Biennial’s main programme ran from July 23 to August 6, 2023 in public and semi-public spaces across Vilnius. The two-week VB23 programme featured 38 artists and a total of 31 performances across 17 locations in Vilnius. These venues included cultural spaces like t the National Gallery of Art and the National Drama Theatre, as well as unconventional sites typically closed to the public and not usually used for displays of art, such as the outdoor area of the Train Repair Depot of the Lithuanian Railways and the Liepkalnis Water Storage facility.
The events attracted over 20,000 visitors, including a large number of foreign guests and journalists. Full info on VB23 may be found here.