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Silence of Time
Vėliučionys
2021
"In the Silence of Time" is a piece of street art inspired by the serene and dreamy landscape of Vėliučionys, the imaginative fantasies of the children at the Vėliučionys Children's Socialization Center, and the philosophical mysteries felt by the artists themselves. The title of the fresco reveals contrasting meanings: after all, in modern times, time is often filled with noise, sounds, movement, and chaotic rapid flow. Thus, indirectly, the observer is prompted to question what happens when time finds itself in silence...?
The fresco divides the facade of the garage building and the plane of the gate structures with X-shaped structures, under which landscape allusions are encoded. Since the gates are used and constantly moved, the landscape becomes a dynamic movement: when the gates are opened, one enters the hidden landscape of the building's interior, and when closed, the landscape does not disappear but peacefully reclines on the facade. In this way, the building becomes not just a blank wall but comes to life, drawing one in. Gray, blue, and brown tones are marked by neon X-shaped references and cornices to make the building lively and active even at night. Reflections of neon paint in the dark from car lights turn the building into an optical, kinetic, rhythmically moving object. In addition, 9-square inch inclusions, like open windows, where the drawings of children and the community are intertwined, further reinforce the idea of the building as a dynamically changing but silently looming landscape.
Contemporary street art works, compared to the millennial frescoes of Pompeii, are temporary, encoding the most important events of today, capturing the image seen here and now, the person met, the sound heard, the scent smelled. However, according to the artist's belief, the purpose of art is to preserve what is created: "Preserving an artwork in nature, in culture, is a certain valuable act: after all, the content of today placed in art can turn into a message read by future generations. In this way, we all have the opportunity to become immortal. The artwork into which we put our energy, attention, vision, sensitivity, wisdom, power, i.e., ourselves - can travel through time. And although the artwork is silent, through innate inner perception, humans are capable of understanding the message conveyed by art. Thus, art becomes immortal, timeless."
This seemingly silent work of art, submerged in silence at first glance, speaks to the Vėliučionys community and its future generations, indicating the flow of time and the transformations of today's events.
Photographer: Mona Avik
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