Dream | group exhibition | Hyde Park Art Center | Winter 2021
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I for Nested Pattern series (No.3, No.1 & No.6)
108 in x 58 in each
printed on photo tex adhesive paper
by Monika Plioplyte
2021 -
Memories Through an Infinite Canon
sound piece 5:12 min
by Monika Plioplyte
2021
I for Nested Pattern (No. 3, No.1 & No.6) photo works and Memories Through an Infinite Canon sound piece
In 'I For Nested Pattern' works, I document myself through photo-based performances in natural environments resembling my homeland of Lithuania. The landscapes carry deep sentimental value and evoke longing for a place or a past. Drawing inspiration from Baltic Pagan mythology and the worship of nature gods, I explore the ancient mode of communication rooted in the body and ritualistic practices, seeking connection with my ancestors.I adorn myself with paper latticework inspired by traditional Lithuanian weaving designs. These paper textiles, woven and collaged, take the form of tapestries suspended on walls, composed of many replicas of my own body. Each figure is a risograph-printed cut-out that echoes the poses of ancient pagan goddesses from Eastern Europe. Employing the concept of 'Nested Pattern' which signifies patterns within patterns, I draw parallels between traditional Lithuanian weaving patterns and the universal language encoded in the structural patterns of the DNA.Through this interplay, I aim to forge a link connecting past and present, self and collective.
The sound piece 'Memories Through an Infinite Canon" was specifically created to accompany the photo works. The style of the songs heard throughout the piece, is called ‘rounds’ or ‘infinite canons’. The theme of the music is sunrise and sundown. I found these songs on a Lithuanian folk record which was recorded in 1971 (in USSR). For Lithuanians, rounds are archaic, mostly used for daily activities as well as ritual purposes, and contain elements of pagan faith. During the sound piece, the background songs intertwine with my dreams, memories of my grandparents, and ancestral connections, exploring themes of life and death. The narrative unfolds poetically, creating a symbiotic relationship between the music and my spoken reflections.
*Images by Mayumi Lake and Tom Van Eynde
In 'I For Nested Pattern' works, I document myself through photo-based performances in natural environments resembling my homeland of Lithuania. The landscapes carry deep sentimental value and evoke longing for a place or a past. Drawing inspiration from Baltic Pagan mythology and the worship of nature gods, I explore the ancient mode of communication rooted in the body and ritualistic practices, seeking connection with my ancestors.I adorn myself with paper latticework inspired by traditional Lithuanian weaving designs. These paper textiles, woven and collaged, take the form of tapestries suspended on walls, composed of many replicas of my own body. Each figure is a risograph-printed cut-out that echoes the poses of ancient pagan goddesses from Eastern Europe. Employing the concept of 'Nested Pattern' which signifies patterns within patterns, I draw parallels between traditional Lithuanian weaving patterns and the universal language encoded in the structural patterns of the DNA.Through this interplay, I aim to forge a link connecting past and present, self and collective.
The sound piece 'Memories Through an Infinite Canon" was specifically created to accompany the photo works. The style of the songs heard throughout the piece, is called ‘rounds’ or ‘infinite canons’. The theme of the music is sunrise and sundown. I found these songs on a Lithuanian folk record which was recorded in 1971 (in USSR). For Lithuanians, rounds are archaic, mostly used for daily activities as well as ritual purposes, and contain elements of pagan faith. During the sound piece, the background songs intertwine with my dreams, memories of my grandparents, and ancestral connections, exploring themes of life and death. The narrative unfolds poetically, creating a symbiotic relationship between the music and my spoken reflections.
*Images by Mayumi Lake and Tom Van Eynde