Creators of “Geometry of Light”: Every Story Represents the Whole

As Dalius Abaris, the concept creator and director of “Geometry of Light”, explains, when creating a production, he always begins by thinking about the space and its dimensions. In Lithuania, the director is known for productions staged in unusual, unconventional event spaces, such as the shipyard hangar in Klaipėda or Vilnius Airport.

While walking around Šiauliai and exploring the city’s spaces, he chose the Sundial Square not because of its tradition as an event venue, but because of the metaphor of the city’s axis that emerges when considering the sculpture “The Archer”.

“The axis of the Sundial also becomes the axis of the stage design, while the story of Šiauliai becomes a story about the Sun. Layering is important to me in the creative process – the overlapping of different forms and ways of storytelling. Here, the Sundial emerges between layers of movement, rhythm and imagery, all of which are pierced by light. The title of the event comes precisely from the way light spreads, from its endless drive forward. We were interested in exploring how light moves through a person and their city,” says director D. Abaris.

Šiauliai, like every city, has many different and sometimes contradictory stories about its past. What makes this celebratory narrative distinctive is that it avoids presenting only a “beautiful anniversary story of the city” and leaves room for complex experiences, losses and turning points. In “Geometry of Light”, the 790-year history of Šiauliai is told not as a chronological collection of facts, but through the story of one young woman and her family. The personal story of one individual grows into the story of an entire city. How does this happen?

Known for his innovative ideas and distinctive creative style, the event’s scriptwriter Mindaugas Nastaravičius explains that “Geometry of Light” is not a conventional story about Šiauliai – audiences will encounter neither the city’s legends nor its historical figures.

“Our story is about Saulė: how she was born and how she is connected to this city. Yet in this event, Saulė is not only the brightest celestial body, but also a specific person, moving through the city’s memory and present together with us as we raise our eyes towards the sky. We are trying to understand the story of one city and one person as a whole,” says M. Nastaravičius.

The story of Šiauliai and Saulė will unfold on 10 September at 9:00 PM at the Sundial Square. “Geometry of Light” will bring together live music, movement, light, historical images of the city and contemporary visual technologies. The event will feature multi-instrumentalist Saulius Petreikis, percussionist Gintautas Gascevičius and a rhythm section, electronic music creators “Happyendless”, the dance troupe of the State Ensemble “Lietuva” with choreographer Aušra Krasauskaitė, Šiauliai city arts groups and the wider city community.

“Geometry of Light” will allow audiences not only to hear the city’s history, but also to experience it, giving every participant in the celebration the opportunity to feel like an important part of the event as a whole.

The full programme is available on the websites of Šiauliai City Municipality, the Šiauliai Cultural Centre and Šiauliai Celebrates.

For further information, please contact Edita Smindriūnaitė, Head of the Exhibitions Department at the Šiauliai Cultural Centre, mobile +370 656 13 886, email edita.smindriunaite@siauliukc.lt.

Photos by Liubov Yarmoshenko and from the personal archive.