Aušra Griškonytė-Volungė’s solo exhibition ‘Eglė’s Transformation into a Serpent: Queer Is the Light’.
In the post-Soviet era, when LGBTQ+ individuals could not openly exist in society due to discrimination, I created the photography series ‘Whores’ in 1999. The Queer theme became central, addressing the (non-)existence of human rights, the body, sexual identity, and social (in)visibility. The pieces utilise the body to reflect on the control of norms and rejection, turning the photographs into testimonies rather than mere images. Within the works, the body is treated as a social and political field—a place where societal expectations, cultural narratives, and personal experiences intersect. There is a conscious choice to depict members of the Queer community who remain invisible in society (see photography series ‘Invisible’), who still lack guaranteed human rights, while simultaneously inviting viewers to see what is fragile and authentic. One of the central subjects of the exhibition is the absence of human rights and the discrimination. Spanning from the ‘Whores’ series dedicated to drag queens to documentary portraits of the LGBTQ+ community, the work constantly asks: who has the right to exist? Where does individual expression end and the norm imposed by society begin? The photographs become reflections, mirrors in which the viewer encounters not only the other, but also themselves, their preconceptions, fears, or openness. Rather than mere observation, the pieces invite dialogue where every gaze is a question and every silence an answer.
Opening hours:
Tue–Fri 12 pm–6 pm, Sat 12–4 pm.
Free admission
“Prospektas” Photography Gallery is located at Gedimino Ave. 43. The nearest public transport stop is Juozo Tumo-Vaižganto (buses 3G, 4, 10, 17, 22, 73 and trolleybuses).
The gallery is located on the ground floor. There are no obstacles to entering or accessing the gallery by wheelchair or for visitors with disabilities.
The gallery is dog- and guide dog-friendly.
Gedimino Ave. 43, Vilnius