Beatričė Mockevičiūtė's exhibition "Running Eyes"

Perhaps this feeling resembles the moment when we touch our closed eyelids in bright light. The circles of light and rhythmic flickering scattered by the soft pads of our fingers seem to echo the surface of the earth submerged in water.

In the exhibition "Running Eyes," artist Beatričė Mockevičiūtė connects primordial and contemporary optical experiences. According to the creator, water reflecting the vault of the sky can be considered one of the first optical tools in world history. Even today, light waves continue to transmit information about distant objects and events. In the video work "Sea Ears" created for the exhibition, the author explores the worn surfaces of shells and their reflections. Shells have changed relatively little in the course of evolution, and their forms can be found in the art of different eras. This time, the image is formed by the constant movement of an LED light source and the hands holding it. The slowed-down, usually imperceptible movement invites us to observe the changes in the light projection and its constantly shifting effect on vision.

The artist's attention was drawn to the museum space created by optical art master and collector Kazys Varnelis, which seems to resemble the first flood-measuring devices – nilometers, consisting of stepped wells that fill with water. Based on this imagery, the artist integrates several of the exhibition's works into the museum's permanent collection. The works expand existing aesthetic connections and encourage us to observe how vision changes our relationship with the sense of time and materiality.

During the exhibition, several listening sessions of sound artist Alan Gurin's work "Midday" will be held in the Kazys Varnelis studio. The author explores the relationship of sound, time, and space with the human body, thus expanding the exhibition's narrative. Performance dates will be announced in advance on the museum's website and social media.

The exhibition opens at the Kazys Varnelis House-Museum on October 14, 2026, at 6:00 PM and will run until April 11, 2027.

Organizer

National Museum of Lithuania

Exhibition partner

Kaunas Tadas Ivanauskas Zoological Museum

Information partner

JCDecaux