Darja Popolitova at MO MUSEUM

DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE is the group exhibition at MO Museum, Vilnius. Curators Merilin Meremaa, Maija Rudovska, and Juste Kostokovaite have included Baltic artists dealing with paganism, spiritualism, and the so-called conspirituality.

My contribution to this show are two artworks: audio-visual sculpture БАЮ-БАЙ (see more in IN THE DARK) and a performative workshop titled 3D JEWELLERY FORTUNE TELLING, which introduces interaction with the audience and the performative elements of the so-called witch, Seraphita.

Seraphita’s workshop is a dialogue-based pseudo-magical DIY studio. Mixed with dramaturgical elements, the action takes place in the museum, challenging deviations from formal exhibition protocols, where the visitor is usually a passive observer. In the workshop, the audience tests themselves in 3D modelling and receives a magical prediction based on their results.

Imagine Seraphita in a room, behind a richly decorated laptop, surrounded by candles, next to a paper printer. She wears strange clothes, and her face is distorted with makeup. Seraphita shows the participant ready-made 3D jewellery files that she once found on stock websites. Among them are rings, pendants, and other conventional specimens. Seraphita asks visitors to choose the one they like best. The person selects and loads it into the 3D programme. With Seraphita’s guidance, they can zoom, rotate, and distort the file in every way.

Behind the desk, there is a computer-projected image on the wall that demonstrates the participant’s actions, which other museum visitors can see. When the participant is satisfied with the result, Seraphita prints a screenshot of the completed 3D jewellery on paper using a nearby printer. While printing, she performs a certain choreography around the printer. Based on the resulting screenshot, Seraphita speculates on its symbolic meaning and predicts the visitor’s future. One leaves the workshop enchanted with a beautiful print complete with their 3D jewellery and Seraphita letterpress stamp.

Mo Museum, Vilnius
11.04.—03.11.2024

Curators: Justė Kostikovaitė, Maija Rudovska, Merilin Talumaa (Roots to Routes)
Architect: Sigita Šimkūnaitė
Coordinator: Agnė Kuprytė
Graphic designer: Gailė Pranckūnaitė
Exhibition installation: Dominykas Šavelis
Photographer: Rytis Šeškaitis
Symposium coordinator: Valentinas Klimašauskas

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS
Artists Līga Spunde
Anastasia Sosunova
Viktorija Daniliauskaitė
Darja Popolitova
Aistė Ramūnaitė
Vita Zaman
Katrīna Neiburga
Laura Põld
Nijolė Valadkevičiūtė
Gertrūda Gilytė

I thank everyone who has contributed to this sculpture, video and masterclass:
Allar Rebane (chrome-plating)
3DKoda OÜ (PLA 3D printing)
Karl Martin Kelder (witch costume)
Nadežda Popolitova (ccamera)
Andres Nõlvak (sound)
Jakob Tulve (video effects)