Inherited Games

Lithuanian Interdisciplinary Artists’ Association (LIAA) and Akee organised children’s day camp titled “inherited Games”.

The theme of the camp – inherited games – was inspired by the games created by the children themselves in the former Aleknaičiai school and the process of passing down games from one generation of children to another. Led by their evolutionary conditioned curiosity, children become acquainted with a new and unfamiliar world and learn to navigate it through play. They play and reconstruct any proposed learning and game rules, regardless of who created them: on phone screens, where they are rewarded with virtual stars for completing game tasks; on safe modular swings in new residential quarters; or in “children’s rooms” located in Western European refugee centers, where children are supposed to be integrated into a new society through play. Games and rules created by adults are often less interesting and relevant to children and do not go beyond the boundaries of situations created by adults. Meanwhile, games passed down through generations in apartment courtyards, school corridors, and dining halls, through play, exploration, and being together, demonstrate children’s innate curiosity and their ability to create and adapt under any circumstances.

In the context of this ongoing exchange between educational systems and the changing landscape of games, the camp program was developed and implemented by members of LIAA who were selected through an open invitation, Bon Alog and Deinora Rudėnaitė), and facilitated with the assistance of artist and educator Simona Čemoškaitė. Curator of the program Vilius Vaitiekūnas.

During various activities, camp participants are encouraged to explore their innate creativity, the natural and historical environment of Pakruojis district, and learn new creative methods. Participants together explore how images work and create their own, construct cameras, learn about various photography methods, experiment with sustainable alternative printing methods, investigate local plants and their cultural significance.

The program is supported by Lithuanian Council for Culture