Island Mapping
Art Residency,
Leonardus Buurt, Helmond, Holland
April 7-13, 2019
In between the dreams - a fictive reality happens. Practical matters merge with overthinking and financial worries dip into the question of one’s identity. Who am I? Ugne Balciunaite is traveling and gathering souvenirs from her dreams and everyday reality encounters. Through different forms of the medium she’s building a raft through a collage of her own identity that will never be concluded.
Over a week in April, Ugne has been residing in Leonardus Buurt, Bij de Populieren, and observing the area in the mornings, days, and evenings. The puzzle on the wall is the map of the floating Leonardus Buurt islands between the houses and experiences. It is a transitioning moment when the dream spaces become real and real spaces take a shape of fantasy. The diversity that is present in the area is life-giving and holds a potential of adventure. Dare to imagine - dare to create together.
"Widespread of a collage done in a week in Helmond. Leonardus buurt is an area of social housing that is being renovated and that means some of its current inhabitants will no longer afford to live here. The place has been losing its strength and willpower and now some activation started to happen that invites the neighbourhood to reimagine the possible futures, create together, establish a community feeling and so on. I had a pleasure to be a part of this activation as an artist in residency located in one of the small houses. Throughout a week-long creative process, I talked and visited neighbours and let the mind flow through the streets of Leonardus and ended up gathering a wall-sized collage of floating adventure islands and this peculiar neighbourhood details. I wish the Leonardus buurt a revival, that this flow of energy that is running in some of the neighbours' hearts would start pulsing in the whole community. I wish Leonardus buurt a breath of possibility! "