Culture, EU – Baltic States, Forum, Lithuania

“Even before the opening of the MO Museum in 2018, we had a vision to organize an exhibition curated by a theater or film director – an artistic installation, in which the most important role would play an engaging experience and a strong powerful story. Therefore, we are happy to hold an exhibition created by S. Boddeke and P. Greenaway for the spaces of MO Museum. MO museum is designed by Daniel Libeskind, the architect of the Jewish museum in Berlin where Boddeke and Greenaway presented the exhibition “Obedience” in 2015. Talking about the story, the question “why is it hard to love” is a fundamental one, but in the context of pandemia and countries turning inwards, the events in the USA and even the Brexit, it reveals an extreme instant relevance”, says Milda Ivanauskienė, Director of MO Museum.

Striving for balance in life

Why Is It Hard to Love? is a story of how we, as humans, strive for equilibrium in life by arranging the good and the bad, eliminating differences between the poor and the rich as well as the unsatisfactory inequalities between men and women, the antagonism between the young and the old, the friction between the races.

The works by some of the most prominent Lithuanian artists are also exhibited and thus a local narrative of violent historical circumstances, occupations and liberations and drastic social changes emerges.

Very personal exhibition

Why Is It Hard to Love? is a very personal project for S. Boddeke and P. Greenaway as the narrative of the exhibition is based on the poem written by S. Boddeke for their youngest daughter Pip. Through this poem and its main character Susa Bubble she tries to inform her daughter what’s happening in the world.

S. Boddeke together with P. Greenaway, who is contributing with his own wall drawings in the exhibition, expresses what worries them as parents: their child having to deal with the terrifying changes that the migrant, ecological and political crises will bring. Equal rights and tolerance to one another become especially pressing issues in a world where huge groups of people—often prompted by worsening climatic conditions – leave their homes in search for a better life. Facing these changes is difficult in the current political climate where tensions between the countries are strengthening and radical right-wing movements are gaining a foothold. However, the exhibition carries a hopeful message: our struggle is exactly what gives our existence meaning.

The exhibition at MO Museum will be available till January 31, 2021

The building of MO, designed by world-famous architect Daniel Libeskind, opened its doors on 18 October 2018. Until this opening, MO Museum, originally founded as the personal initiative of scientists Danguolė and Viktoras Butkus, has been a museum without walls for almost a decade. Its collection of over 5,000 works of modern and contemporary art contains the best of the Lithuanian art from the fifties of the 20th century until today. Since the opening more than 300,000 visitors have visited MO Museum.

MO Museum is a place for excellent leisure that also tells stories about us. You are invited here for exhibitions, movies, educational activities, concerts, and other events for various age groups. One of the goals of MO is to build an active community – MOdernists – who support the MO idea and help create the new museum together!