Intensity = why³ × howⁿ
Raising “why” to the third power suggests that motivation, meaning, or inner purpose has a strong influence on intensity. When a person knows why they are doing something – especially when that “why” is strong – good results can be expected. Raising “how” to the n-th power indicates that the method, technique, or ability to act also significantly affects intensity – but n depends on the situation. Sometimes “how” is very important (when n = 3), and other times less so (when n = 1 or even 0). The formula says: the deeper the reason and the more refined the method, the greater the intensity. And even more – if the method is perfect but the “why” equals zero, intensity will also be zero. In practice: if you know why but not how, there will be enthusiasm, but little effect. If you know how but not why – you’ll act mechanically, without intensity. If you know both, the results will be excellent. This applies to both life and creative pursuits.
Five cases of photography’s necessity in Artūras Raila’s artistic practice:
“80 Slides for a Carousel Projector” (1988–1993),
“Primitive Sky” (1980–2002),
“Roll Over Museum” (2004),
“Power of the Earth” (2005–2012),
“Theory and Practice” (2012–2025).
Artūras Raila
Born 1962 in Rainaičiai. Lithuania.
Professor at Vilnius Art Academy, Photography, Animation and Media Art dept.
Lives in Vilnius.
Personal exhibitions (since 2005):
2016 Libretto for Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller. Synopsis. National Gallery of Art, Vilnius, Lithuania;
2008 Power of the Earth/Mythological Vilnius. Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania;
2007 Power of the Earth/Final Chapter. Allenheads ACA, Northumberland, England;
2006 Kraft der Erde. Frankfurt/Main Kunstverein, Germany;
2006 Kraft der Erde/Berlin. Kunstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin, Germany;
2005 Roll Over Museum/Railway Version. Railway Museum, Riga, Latvia, 2005;
2005 Roll Over Museum. Art Museum of Estonia, Exhibition Hall in Rotermann Salt Storage, Tallin, Estonia;
2005 Roll Over Museum/Live. Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania.
Selected group exhibitions:
2024 Les Ambassadeurs. La Fondation Fiminco, Romainville / Paris, France;
2024 Days of Re-entry. Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania;
2023 Lithuania: Two Centuries of Photography. International Cultural Centre Gallery, Krakow, Poland;
2022 Lenin was a Mushroom. Moving Images in the 1990's. MHKA, Antwerp, Belgium;
2021 An Incomplete & Unreliable Guide to Social Media War Room. Georg Kargl Fine Arts, Vienna, Austria;
2019 Blood and Soil: Dark Arts for Dark Times. Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania;
2017 The Present Order. GfZK, Leipzig, Germany;
2015 Welfare State. MHKA, Antwerp, Belgium;
2012 Beyond Good and Evil. Den Frie, Copenhagen, Denmark;
2012 Sense of Place. Bozar Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels, Belgium;
2008 Martian Museum of Terrestrial Art. Barbican Art Gallery, London, England;
2005 The IX Baltic Triennial of International Art – BMW. Contemporary Art Center, Vilnius, Lithuania;
2004 EU Positive – Art from the New Europe. Academy of Arts, Berlin;
2003 24/7:Wilno-Nueva York. Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania;
2003 Witness. Barbican Art Gallery, London, England;
2002 Fundamentalisms of the New Order. Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, Denmark;
2001 Vi. Intentional Communities. Rooseum, Malmo, Sweden;
2001 Berlin Biennale 2. Berlin, Germany;
2000 Manifesta 3. (European Biennial for Contemporary Art), Ljubljana, Slovenia;
1997 Ground Control. Vilnius (Jutempus) Lithuania, London (Beaconsfield) England;
1997 Dimension O. International Performance Art Festival, Vilnius Contemporary Art Centre, Lithuania;
1993 Aujourd'hui les Baltes. Art Contemporain d'Estonie, Lettonie, Lituanie. Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris;
Selected bibliography:
Art Action 98 - 18. Les Editions Intervention, 2024. Artūras Raila: Des orphelins et des cranes, des champions et des ruches d’abeilles ou la montee du matriarcat dans l’art en direct lituanien, 1998-2018. p.344-389. ISBN 978-2-924298-83-1. Quebec, Canada;
Art Action 98 - 18. Les Editions Intervention, 2024. Artūras Raila: Orphans and Skulls, Mushrooms and Beehives, or the Rise of Matriarchy in Lithuanian Live Art, 1998-2018, p.336-381. ISBN 978-2-924298-84-8. Quebec, Canada;
Afterall. A Journal of Art, Context and Enquiry, Autumn/Winter 2015, Nr. 40. Travis Jeppesen: The Diagnosis is Naivety: Artūras Raila’s Journey into the Woods, p. 28-41, Lolita Jablonskienė: Navigating Through Chaos with Artūras Raila, p. 42-51, Publisher: Afterall Central Saint Martins University of the Arts London. ISBN 978-1-84638-162-1, ISSN 1465-4253;
We Are All Normal And We Want Our Freedom: A Collection Of Contemporary Nordic Artists Writings. Edited by Katya Sander and Simon Sheikh. Artūras Raila: 2x2, p. 172-177, Black Dog publishing, 2002. ISBN - 13 : 978-1901033236;
Berlin Biennale 2. Curator Saskia Bos. Publisher: Oktagon Verlagsgessellschaft mbH, 2001. Artūras Raila: 2x2, (german translation) ISBN 3896110977.
