There is an inscription under the painting of Alexandra Zubova kept at Didždvaris Gymnasium, which says EX NIHILO NIHIL FIT, or nothing comes from nothing. We invite you to take a tour which represents the amalgam of the city’s history, culture and the flight of imagination of artists. This is an exciting underground art adventure full of unique stories and secrets waiting to be discovered in the city’s pavement.
This guide to secret treasures is truly unique as the motifs of the artworks are interwoven with known facts and ever-reliable accounts. But what is really reliable in a story? Artworks can also become the facts of history. Art creates a world that never existed before, and a good story changes it. When these two world-altering things combine, the world appears in a different light.
Grandparents and their grandchildren, mothers and their toddlers, wanderers and city guests are all welcome to explore the works of the Guide to Secret Treasures in Aušros Avenue and Vilniaus Street (central pedestrian-only street). Listen to the stories, take pictures and share!
Šiauliai Art Gallery extends its sincere gratitude to the friends and sponsors for funding the project, providing artistic ideas, technical assistance, advice and kind support in bringing the route of the city’s hidden secrets to life. We also owe our thanks to the Lithuanian Council for Culture, Municipality of Šiauliai, Šiaulių Plentas, UAB, and architects Giedrė Mendoza Herrera and Šarūnas Sabaliauskas. A special thanks to Andrius Sirtautas, the author behind the "Secret Inclusions of Šilutė" project, for sharing his experience; Šiauliai National Drama Theatre for producing voices and sounds; Paulius Trijonis, and actors Aurimas Žvinys, Monika Šaltytė, Inga Jarkova, and Anicetas Gendvilas.
We also wish to express our thanks to the following authors of the secret treasures for their initiative: Romualdas Inčirauskas, Vitalija Kurtinaitienė, Reda Uogintienė, Arūnas Uogintas, Voldemaras Barakauskas, Edita Sūdžiūtė, Gintautas Lukošaičius, Živilė Žvėrūna, Irena Šliuželienė, Vilius Šliuželis, and Simona Bagdonaitė Gubinienė.
The project would have not been possible without the help of the writer, storyteller and patriot of Šiauliai, Rimantas Kmita. Meanwhile, designer Marius Žalneravičius enriched our project with elegant graphic design.
Project curator Ernesta Šimkienė
info@siauliugalerija.lt
