Milda Paukštė „Dėmė“ (Stain)

On Tuesday 3 June 2025 Užupis Meno Inkubatorius gallery (Užupio g. 2A) will open the exhibition Stain by Milda Paukštė a master's student of the VDA Department of Textile Art and Design.

A huge number of clothes are thrown away because they are stained. This increases environmental pollution and also devalues the natural resources used to produce the garments and the efforts of the people involved in all the production chains. The aim of this artistic project is to explore the concept of stain and its causes in consumer society and to find ways to inspire a change in attitudes towards stains based on the assumption that stains cannot be avoided in a naturally "dirty" environment. A more lenient attitude towards stains on clothes is likely to lead to longer wear. Artistic language is used as a tool to reflect critically analyse and visually reveal the aesthetic and narrative values of the stain.

The project also seeks to highlight not only the shame that accompanies stains but especially the shaming of women. In Sunspots the spots on a found dress are positioned in such a way that the audience would first associate them with menstruation (social attitudes cause women to fear and be ashamed of such spots perhaps most of all) when in fact it is a photo of solar spots captured by NASA astronomer Alan Friedman in 2012 many times reduced and printed on the garment. The largest sunspot in the photo is in reality about 11 times bigger than the Earth. But the Sun (common Lithuanian female name Saulė) could also be the name of the owner of the dress. It's like a woman's story: "The Sun has never been afraid of spots in itself. She was afraid of shame: of being seen as erratic forgetful dirty of being a woman. Sun had to learn to be charming sophisticated a real lady a perfect home-maker. But she didn't." In the video performance Spotting one woman stains another with make-up – is it embellishment or labelling? Is it camouflage in an attempt to adapt to her surroundings or a ritual preparation for battle?

Milda Paukštė has been interested in textile repurposing for a decade. This exhibition features works created during her artistic research Steinosophy which has been ongoing for the past two years. The complex installation combines objects texts moving image performance scent as well as a long-term intervention in a public space – the popular Vilnius bar Dėvėti 3 Sodų Street. For more information about this research visit www.mildapaukste.com

The exhibition is open until 18 July.

During the exhibition period visitors are invited to join in the performative practices of stain-washing in the Vilnelė River outside the UMI Gallery. TIMES TO BE announced.

Gallery opening hours: III-VI 13:00-18:00

Photo by Enrika Samulionytė 

Also check out other Exhibitions in Vilnius, Arts events in Vilnius, Nonprofit events in Vilnius.