We invite you to experience and see Jonas Basanavičius anew!

On May 23, during the Night of Museums, an installation titled Es humanus, created to mark the 175th anniversary of the birth of the patriarch of the nation, along with a dance performance, was presented at the birthplace of Jonas Basanavičius.

The final outcome of this interdisciplinary project is a spatial audiovisual installation that combines textile, kinetic projections, music, and contemporary dance. The project serves as a bridge between tradition, history, and contemporary art. It constructs an alternative artistic narrative about the personality of Jonas Basanavičius, employing the leitmotif of the human being: from the first heartbeat to a thinking individual, and ultimately to a unifying leader of the nation – the patriarch of Lithuania, a doctor whose work encompassed themes of national identity and the cultivation of life. Today, Jonas Basanavičius stands as an example and a source of inspiration for those creating for Lithuania and engaging with human values.

Creative Team:

Concept and animation by graphic designer Aurėja Jucevičiūtė
Installation by textile artist Agnietė Janušaitė-Vitkūnienė
Composer Donatas Bielkauskas
Narration Vilius Kaminskas
Dancers: Gabija Blochina (choreography), Urtė Šalčiūtė
Content creators: Agnė Brazaitienė, Giedrė Linartaitė
Project manager Rūta Vasiliauskienė
Communication Aušra Kaminskaitė

Information Partners: Vilkaviškis regional newspaper Santaka, Šakiai district newspaper Draugas, Suvalkija regional newspaper Suvalkietis.
Partner: Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore
Funded by: Lithuanian Council for Culture

Duration of the installation: 14 minutes

The installation will be on view until September 27, 2026.

Photos by Silvestras Samsonas, National Museum of Lithuania