16.06.2023 | Tree Stories – Performance Kotryna Žilinskaitė (Lt) + Hasan Alp Çelikel (Tk) | Ideas Block (Lt)

16.06.2023 | Tree Stories – Performance Kotryna Žilinskaitė (Lt) + Hasan Alp Çelikel (Tk) | Ideas Block (Lt)

Tree stories  is a interdisciplinary and multifaceted in progress project inspired by the timeless poetry and mystical power of raw nature embodied by the tree in a time where Man is continuing to destroy the natural environment as well as himself in a blind infernal suicidal race. The tree in general is a strong symbol (of the cosmos, of life, of force…), and each tree in particular is a more specific symbol (the oak symbolizes majesty, the alder humility, etc) which can vary depending on the cultures and mythologies.

How can we relate to them and learn from them? How can we better understand them and benefit from their silent universal stories? These are a few questions that irrigate this ongoing creative process.

This performance is experiencing the personification of trees, through the movement of the performers and sound, talking about the embodiment of different times and signs in nature and the constantly changing, adapting, the life-giving world of trees.

The Tree Stories performance features pluridisciplinary – movements, poetry, sounds (and images too for a future installation/video project)  –  material created by the 3 associated artists  Kotryna Žilinskaitė (LT), Hasan Alp Celikel (TK), Paradise Now (BE/FR) at the “Verpejų” residence (totally disconnected from urban parasites in the forest of South Lithuania) in August 2022.

Performance/dance – Kotryna Žilinskaitė, Hasan Alp Celikel
Sound creation – Paradise Now
Poetry – Kotryna Žilinskaitė, Philippe Franck

Tree Stories poem - L’arbre de Kotryna

You are lying on the bed
in the house of possibilities

You write for his highness King Tree that looks at you
from the height of its centuries of undisputed reign

You capture the waves of the forest gods
You dance with their shadows
You invite angels and genies
in the flight of your aspirations
to the senses, essences, essential

You are with them, in them, through them
You are the flaming leaf
of this Master Lime
who knows where the wind comes from
You are the edge of the sacred forest
you are fully

Philippe Franck
(Tree Stories project – Margones – 9 August 2022)

Kotryna Žilinskaité (Lt)

After starting her artistic career in the performing arts from childhood at the age of eight, she grew up in children’s and teenagers’ theater, later she obtained a bachelor’s degree in theater at the Lithuanian Academy of theater and music.

Since then, Kotryna has organized festivals, concerts, made videos and plays, created and participated in interdisciplinary or choreographic performances and happenings (often marked by Butô) with numerous collaborations, and led various creative workshops.

Kotryna created, in Vilnius, the cultural space “Užiateka”, founded the art therapy space “Oasis of the Arts”. She studied music therapy at Vilnius University. She is also the coordinator of City Sonic Vilnius (platform for sound arts) in connection with Transcultures (Centre for digital and sound cultures -Belgium) and its international festival of sound arts City Sonic.

uziateka.live

Hasan Alp Çelikel (Tk/Lt)

Of Turkish origin and based in Vilnius for a few years, Hasan Alp Çelikel is an interdisciplinary creator who works in visual, performance arts, design and improvised music.

He began his career as a progressive lead guitarist in various Canadian bands while studying visual art at the Nova Scotia College of Arts and Design University. Later, he obtained a bachelor of arts and studied ceramics at the faculty. He then explores the sound sculpture created using Cymatics and, since 2016, the design of melodic percussion instruments.

Now based in Vilnius, he creates paintings, practices Butō and contemporary dance, writes songs in English, Turkish or guest language and instrumental experimental music. His spontaneous approach aims to illuminate alchemy and capture the magic moment through his paintings, sculptures, performances and sound happenings.

Plan