Augustas Serapinas. Baltic Adventure

For its third season, from October 3, 2023, to June 30, 2024, FOROF – a space dedicated to the dialogue between contemporary art and archaeology founded by Giovanna Caruso Fendi - presents BALTIC ADVENTURE, patronized by the Lithuanian embassy: a site-specific project by Lithuanian artist Augustas Serapinas (Vilnius – Lituania, 1990), who recreates an alarming future, the result of the devastating effects of global warming. Curated by Ilaria Gianni, the exhibition BALTIC ADVENTURE, made of evocations and connections, aims to be a warning about the problem of climatic instability and an invitation to act in favor of the environment.

Serapinas recontextualizes his work Mudmen in relation to FOROF's archaeological site: figures similar to snowmen - however, made of straw and mud - will inhabit the ancient Roman Forum, like presences that warn us about a dystopian future more likely than we imagine.
Mudmen was born in 2020 as an evolution of the Snowmen project, which required collection of real snowmen built by kids at the parks of the capital of Latvia, Riga, in January. However, that winter happened to be unusually warm, without any snow: very unusual phenomenon for that area, which eliminated any possibility of building and creating snowmen, forcing the artist to modify the initial idea of the project.
"The installation of Mudmen, in this case, has been specifically conceived for the spaces of Basilica Ulpia, in the underground level of FOROF, that is known to have been Ancient Rome's largest assembly space" - emphasizes Augustas Serapinas - The people residing in the ancient Roman forum were not aware of our future problem. They were gathering to discuss political ideas and solve quarrels. In my installation the possible future meets the past. The snowman-like straw figures inhabit Forum to warn us. They scroll through the ruins of the past witnessing that it might be our future".
"Augustas Serapinas" project led me to reflect on the unique reality of Rome, an unrepeatable city that retains in itself the features of the village, of the Greek polis, of the Urbe in the classical sense. - says Giovanna Caruso Fendi founder of FOROF - The artist's choice to bring to the archaeological site of the Basilica Ulpia, in the underground level of FOROF, an installation that emphasizes our responsibilities in the process of global warming gives us back to the deeper role and meaning of the Roman Forum, a place where all social, political, economic issues were discussed. Thanks to the work of Serapinas, as in ancient Rome, these spaces return to host contemporary debate, the issues of public interest, which concern the future of humanity".

The Mudmen installation is accompanied by other works, Part of the House from Rūdninkai (2023) and Part of the House from Skirgiškės (2023), ruins of wooden houses from the Baltic States - from which the exhibition's title originates - specially designed for FOROF, and Window Glasses from Jonas house (2023), glass windows taken from an old wooden Lithuanian home and fused together with pigment made by the artist using parts of the same house.

As in previous projects, BALTIC ADVENTURE is salso accompanied by a program of bimonthly Episodes, conceived and implemented by the curator Ilaria Gianni. Every episode, accompanied by a food and wine selection by Rimessa Roscioli, is conceived as a live starting point for the exhibition, almost like a sounding board playing the themes dealt with by the artist. Performers, choreographers, and music players will interact with the works and space of FOROF, offering the audience new occasions to bond with BALTIC ADVENTURE. The first episode will take place in December, hosting Ausgustas Serapinas in an engaging conversation about the themes explored through his works.

Thanks to APalazzo Gallery.