Reclaim
EN LT



pro-test lab 2005-03-24

space view

WHY The pro-test lab is pursuing and analyzing possible and impossible forms of protest. Protest, which is accumulated, maturated, yet unidentified, unvoiced, still in search for its format and voicing. Protest against the  control, our own inability and drift. Protest against our inability to protest against the unquestionable scenario of one system.
The pro-test lab charts a scenario of possible form of protest, and employs media apparatus to exercise the understanding why such protest is or is not possible. It turns cinema into a production center, as if production of a film about something non-existent, made by “Lietuva” (cinema) and raising a question "why?".

WHO In defeated battlefields of the privatization, “Lithuania” has become a significant orienting point. A defeated “Vilnius” has bestowed the keys to Benetton. Now the turn of “Lietuva” has come. The pro-test lab addresses the citizens with a request to propose a possible scenario of the protest. The form of scenario is open: audio or video interview, texts, schemes, posters, performances or other expressions that represent wishes of the citizens, finally – circumstances of impossibility of such a scenario, contexts and reasons.
Therefore pro-test lab addresses cultural producers and theorists, who have recently discussed a lack and yearning for certain protest or political will, reflecting various issues ranging from monuments, urban development to lifestyle, consumerism, dominance of labels.

HOW The pavilion, a former ticket office at the cinema “Lietuva” is converted into a pro-test lab to perform a function of recording device. Referring to the brothers Lummiere early model of camera, that performed twofold function (filming and screening),  this recording device generates an action, registering the scenario of protest.
The volunteers joining the Pro-test lab are mostly young people, students from The Music Academy, Educational Film and TV Studio, Theater and Film faculty, University Cinema Club, Architecture Students Club, community movement “Spaces in City”, community of vilma.cc mailinglist, and all others wishing to cooperate in staying, performing and archiving pro-test campaigns.
Action considered: “For “Lithuania” without the quotation-marks (campaign to protect the cinema), “We will not calm down without “Vilnius” (campaign against Benetton that superseded “Vilnius” cinema), “Return of the repressed: pioneers against the former communists (campaign reclaiming back the Pioneer Palace)