Emilija Škarnulytė’s “Riparia” at tate st Ives: A Meditation on Time and Transformation
Emilija Škarnulytė’s recent exhibition at Tate St Ives, featuring her film riparia (2023), isn’t simply a viewing experience-it’s a deeply immersive journey. Škarnulytė, a sculptor by training, approaches moving images not as traditional cinema, but as sculpted forms in their own right. This innovative approach creates a total environment,blending architecture,visual spectacle,and captivating soundscapes.
The exhibition beautifully cultivates a sense of mysticism, inviting you to explore freely within its boundaries. Škarnulytė masterfully stages a conversation between the human and non-human worlds, weaving together material and metaphysical languages. This dialog prompts profound reflection on the limits of our knowledge and the boundless curiosity inherent in being human.
Contemplating Erosion and the Future
Through deliberately fractured timelines, the work encourages contemplation of what endures amidst decay. Is deterioration a finality-a descent into nothingness-or a transition to a new existence? Škarnulytė’s work asks who will become the future storytellers, preserving both the truths and the myths of our time.
She is deeply committed to witnessing and documenting, sketching the contours of an eco-feminine spirituality. This journey delves into the processes of weathering and embodiment, infused with a sense of wonder. Her personal cosmology functions as a phenomenology of time-a heightened awareness of its passage and impact.
Time, in Škarnulytė’s vision, isn’t linear but cyclical and fluid. She intentionally crafts a scenography that elevates the exhibition into a living, breathing entity-a form of surrender to the natural rhythms of existence.
Key Takeaways for the Viewer
Here’s what you can expect to experience and consider when engaging with Škarnulytė’s work:
* A blurring of boundaries: The lines between sculpture, film, and architecture dissolve, creating a holistic sensory experience.
* Temporal distortion: Expect a non-linear exploration of time, challenging conventional perceptions of past, present, and future.
* Ecological awareness: The work fosters a deep connection to the natural world and the processes of decay and renewal.
* Spiritual resonance: Škarnulytė’s exploration of eco-feminine spirituality offers a hopeful perspective on our place within the universe.
Škarnulytė doesn’t offer easy answers. Instead, she provides a space for you to grapple with essential questions about existence, transformation, and our relationship to the world around us. Riparia is a powerful and thought-provoking exhibition that will stay with you long after you leave the gallery.
