One Thing Stories
The project is implemented by a public institution “Inovatyvūs kūrybiniai projektai” (Innovative Creative Projects).
Most people, like you or me, somewhere in the darkest corner of their closet or a dusty attic, keep some dear item inherited from the ancestors, some thing that we cannot say goodbye to: a handmade woven linen bedspread, an old wooden clock, the striking of which no one at home wants to hear, a century-old oak sideboard which has witnessed all family events, a tablecloth embroidered with colorful stitches, some wooden household item or an album of family photos with yellowing pictures: things that are on the one hand, so old and fragile that we are afraid to bring them to light for the fear of them crumbling, on the other hand, what is going to tell us about those times and people we love. About hands that made those lovely creations, who if not us, the ones over sixty? What are their names? What kind of life have they led?
This is how the project “One Thing Stories” was born. Public institution “Inovatyvūs kūrybiniai projektai” hosted creative memoir seminars in Kaunas. Participants of these seminars, senior residents of Kaunas, wrote 40 unique memory stories: sad, serious, tragic and funny; about people that are dearest to them: grandparents, parents, brothers and sisters. Pre-war period, emigration, war, fleeing, occupations, deportations, returns, sovietisation, etc. Each such a story is the history of Lithuania.
The residents illustrated these stories with wonderful retro portraits which you can enjoy in our parlour. The project was partially funded by Lithuanian Council for Culture and Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania. Creative memoir workshop lasted throughout the entire fall of 2014, starting in September and ending in December, with public institution "Inovatyvūs kūrybiniai projektai” collaborating with Kaunas city municipality and Vincas Kudirkas Public Library.
Several groups of elder residents wrote their memories in libraries in Kaunas Old Town, Panemunė and Šilainiai. These were representatives of various occupations: engineers, economists, teachers, librarians, etc. Memories created during the workshop at the end of 2014 were published in a PDF book “Vieno daikto istorijos” (One Item Stories).
Wonderful handmade fabrics, embroidery, lace, wooden and ceramics works inherited from our parents and grandparents is the pride of our families and cultural heritage. By writing memories, we honor those people whose skills we admire to this day and keep their names and surnames as a part of history.
The project “One Thing Stories” was partially funded by Lithuanian Council for Culture and Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania.