"We live in an interesting times, when we can observe the city as a mixture of intertwining contexts and layers, when old architecture is overlayed by the new, when Soviet buildings are renovated, they get their new “coats”, but still do not change inside, when some factories are converted into homes while the others are wiped off the ground, and new shiny offices emerge in their place. All these architectural layers and stories are continuously intertwining, overlaying and mixing up, and as a result we have this peculiar mixture – Vilnius. Thinking about this, I was walking in the Paupis district, photographing and exploring what kind of history and narratives the contractors, architects and clients of the then-ongoing construction were building for the future buyers and citizens.”

With these thoughts by Andrej Vasilenko we present his photograph series „Narratives of History“. While still in anticipation of unlimitedly open cultural spaces, this time we continue with the exhibitions in a double format – both at the cultural centre @SODAS 2123 and in the virtual, compiled reality, where one can explore the exhibition and its space together with the live comments by the author.  

In the micro-exhibition series, we present works developed within Architektūros fondas program Building Narratives in 2019–2020. Program explored the relations between architecture and narrative merging the ongoing projects of Architektūros fondas and their methods, while looking for common ground among podcasts and publications platform Aikštėje, Future Architecture platform creatives and experiments of architecture curating. Micro-exhibition series, dedicated to the Building Narratives program, starts with the texts and the accompanying visual works that have been curated in Aikštėje and published in the cultural press.

Buildings aren’t shaped by mortar and concrete anymore – crucial and sometimes the most important ingredient is narrative. Whether it is purely a PR product or an organic construct it creates perceptions and shapes the way we see and understand our environment. Hearing, reading or assembling a narrative from smaller pieces helps us to determine if something is good, useful and even beautiful. At the same time, changing narrative has the power to change perceptions of our environment. Bad can become good, ugly-beautiful, all without any changes in physical structure.

As a new narrative has the power to transform architecture on its own, it becomes extremely important to understand how different ways of talking about architecture can shape its future. Therefore Architektūros fondas is seeking to discover personal narratives and encourage the creatives to get involved in this affair.

Event series Building Naratives is also a part of the Future Architecture platform and European Architecture programme 2020, co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union. Architektūros fondas' strategic partner is Lithuanian Council for Culture. Partner – Kaunas 2022 programmes "Modernism for Future" and "All as One".