Texts by Jokūbas Skliutauskas and Markas Zingeris Resounded at the Laiptai Gallery

On 29 September 2026, a literary evening dedicated to the works of two prominent Lithuanian writers of Jewish origin – Jokūbas Skliutauskas (1925–2004) and Markas Zingeris (1947–2023) – took place at the Laiptai Gallery of the Šiauliai Culture Centre. Actors Andrius Bialobžeskis and Aleksas Kazanavičius presented a new literary programme to the audience, featuring excerpts from the authors’ prose, essays and memoirs.
Organiser – Šiauliai Culture Centre.

During the evening, the works of writers from different generations and with different experiences were revealed through the actors’ live readings. Theatre and film actor Andrius Bialobžeskis, recipient of the Golden Stage Cross and the Silver Crane awards, invited the audience to revisit the creative legacy of Jokūbas Skliutauskas – his memoirs, essays, sketches and excerpts from plays. The actor selected passages from the books “Sparnuotas raitelis”, “Prie Suleimano sosto”, “Raganų dauba”, “Estiškos akvarelės” and other works. The texts offered insight into the author’s relationship with people, nature, culture and life experiences, allowing the audience to take a fresh look at the themes of memory, wisdom and the transience of life that are important in the writer’s work.

Aleksas Kazanavičius, a prominent contemporary theatre and film actor, presented the works of Markas Zingeris, reading excerpts from the short story collection “Iliuzionas” and the novel “Aš sėdėjau Stalinui ant kelių”. In the writer’s texts, the relationship between historical circumstances and an individual’s personal fate unfolds through an intellectual, often ironic narrative in which lyricism, paradox and a sensitive perspective on human experience intertwine. The excerpts read by the actor allowed the audience to hear the distinctive literary voice of M. Zingeris and experience the compelling storytelling characteristic of his work.

This literary gathering provided an opportunity to remember two authors who came to literature by different paths and whose works explore human experience, historical time, memory and the relationship with one’s surroundings. Brought to life through the actors’ voices, the texts took on a new resonance in the gallery space and invited the audience not only to listen but also to rediscover the works of these authors from a new perspective.

Jokūbas Skliutauskas was a physician, writer, essayist, playwright and publicist who wrote more than thirty books and plays. His work devotes considerable attention to human dignity, professional vocation, cultural connections, history and the experiences of different nations. M. Zingeris was a poet, prose writer, playwright, publicist and translator whose work places particular emphasis on the interaction between historical upheavals and individual fate. His works have been translated into various foreign languages and have become a significant part of Lithuanian literature.

The literary evening at the Laiptai Gallery was part of the “Cultural Litvak Landscape” event series. Through various forms of art and culture, this series invites audiences to discover Lithuanian Jewish culture, its creators, history and heritage. This time, the path to discovery led through literature and the spoken word performed live.

Photo by Darius Ančerevičius

For more information, please contact Kristina Alseikė, Event Organiser at the Exhibitions Department of the Šiauliai Culture Centre, tel. +370 658 80 507, email kristina.alseike@siauliukc.lt.