A group of artists Local to Local presents an art project Dvina Silo Art Complex

In September, 2010 an international group of artists called Local to Local is coming to Lithuania. The group has been established in 2006 in Stuttgart. It is comprised of six members, namely Kęstutis Svirnelis (Lithuania), Gabriela Oberkofler (Italy), Ilke Yilmaz (Turkey), Jangyoung Jung (South Korea), Markus Ambach and Andreas Geisselhardt (Germany). They have gathered together in order to implement a five-year long project in their home countries. The artists have started in 2007 with the project Made in Germany in South Korea, while in 2008 the group has initiated Institute for Alpine affairs in a village of Flaas situated in mountains, in Italy (as an attendant event, the project was included in the programme of contemporary art biennale Manifesta7, taking place at the same time). In 2009 the residence of BÜYÜKADA RESORT RESIDENCE took place in Turkey. After working together for almost four years, Local to Local decided to come to Lithuania. For two weeks the artists are going to implement their creative ideas in the former Soviet Union underground ballistic missile base and military village, that are located not far from Plateliai. Then, the artists will make an exposition of their works Dvina Silo Art Complex in Plokštinė, and will present a retrospective exposition of their creative work, their activity and the project of Plokštinė in Vilnius.
Local to Local creative work is based on the strategy of centrifugal creation, opposing metropolitans which are traditionally titled as the most important art centres. The group creates in geographical/cultural periphery and avoids prestigious expositional spaces. In their creative work they refer to site specific art strategies. The core of the group comprised of six artists is often complemented by local as well as foreign guest creators when implementing each new project. The group aims at gathering people of different cultures and different world views, who discuss global and cultural topics using the language of art. The activity of Local to Local is a peculiar cultural express, which constantly moves towards sociocultural analysis as well as personal experiences. The first project Made in Germany implemented in South Korea, has encouraged the geographical expansion of the activity encompassing all native countries of the six members of the group as well as involving more and more artists into the creative work. According to Local to Local, the former base of rockets in Plokštinė is an exceptional place, representing one of the relicts of Cold War power in Lithuania. The place perfectly conforms to the conception of the group‘s activity.
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* It was the first tactical underground base of ballistic missiles of Dvina type of the Soviet Union. It is comprised of 4 ferroconcrete launching devices for missiles, which have domes on the ground surface covering premises and mines designed for control, launching and electricity generators. Ten thousand of soldiers have been building the base since 1960 up to 1962, most of them being Estonians. In the underground part of the base dark narrow passages and small premises with massive iron doors are set. The surface rocket site was surrounded by barbed wire and protected by signalization and protection zone of high voltage electricity lines. Subject of the political situation the missiles could have been targeted at Spain, Great Britain, Norway, Turkey, West Germany. In 1978, after the reconnaissance services of the USA have found out of the base, it was abandoned. Later a pioneer camp Žuvėdra was set there. Children affected by the radiation of Chernobyl catastrophe took a rest there. Since 1995 the former rocket base has been functioning as the military museum.

Participants

Local to Local:
Kęstutis Svirnelis (Lithuania)
Markus Ambach (Germany)
Andreas Geisselhardt (Germany)
Ilke Yilmaz (Turkey)
Jang-Young Jung (South Korea)
Gabriela Oberkofler (Italy)
Guests:
Pablo Wendel (Group EXP. Germany)
Demian Bern (Group EXP. Germany)
Krzysztof Franaszek (Poland)
Juozas Laivys (Lithuania)
Andrius Kviliūnas (Lithuania)
Sergej Balandin (Russia)
Justina Nekrašaitė (Lithuania)
Akvilė Kalinaitė (Lithuania)

The programme of events:

·September 29, in the gallery of Vilnius Graphic Art Centre Kairė-dešinė:
16.00 – Press conference on the project Dvina Silo Art Complex
With a presence of Local to Local and the art critic Prof. Dr. Raminta Jurėnaitė
·19.00 – The opening of the retrospective exposition of the group Local to Local
The exposition will be open till October 16, 2010.
The exposition presents documentary material and works of art created during the projects Made in Germany (Openspace Bae, South Korea, 2007), Institute for Alpine affairs (Flaas, Italy, 2008) and BÜYÜKADA RESORT RESIDENCE (Büyükada Island, Turkey, 2009)

·October 02, 15.00
The opening of the exposition Dvina Silo Art Complex
In the rocket base of Plokštinė, village of Plokštinė, Plungė district.*
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* People willing to participate in the opening event on October 2, will be offered a special booked transportation for only a symbolic fee of 10 lt.

More information about Local to Local projects:
Institute for Alpine affairs (Italy) 1
Institute for Alpine affairs (Italy) 2
BÜYÜKADA RESORT RESIDENCE (Turkey)