In collaboration with the Foundation of Cossack culture Narkevicius stages a concert of war songs based on the traditional repertoire of the Cossack cultures. The Cossacks are predominantly East Slavic peoples, originally from the regions of Ukraine and southern Russia. They played a vital role in the historical and cultural development of both countries. The selected repertoire of poignant and sorrowful songs from the borders of the empire reflect upon the concepts of freedom and of the right to expression and self-determination, engaging with a distinction between a very open, international cultural tradition and its simplified current interpretation.

Deimantas Narkevičius started using film during the early 1990s. His films exercise the intricate practice of memory and portray a contemporary post-Soviet society confronted with the painful processes of history. The camera offered him the possibility of exploring different narratives, allowing him to play with the course of time. The central characters of Narkevičius’s narratives are often absent from the screen, replaced by objects, drawings, and other surrogates. He recently exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA), Chicago; the Museum of Modern Art, New York; and the New Museum, New York.

Sad Songs of War, 2014
LenDoc Documentary Film Studio,
Kryukov Canal, 12
June 26 and 29
7:00 p.m.

Seats are limited. Pre-registration is required. To register, please, send an email with your name, preferred date (June 29 or 26) and with the subject "Sad Songs of War" to: rsvp@manifesta.org