Augustas Serapinas installs Mudmen among Roman ruins at Forof

Lithuanian artist Augustas Serapinas (Vilnius, 1990) presents the solo exhibition "Baltic Adventure" at Forof space in Rome, curated by Ilaria Gianni. The show unfolds through the gallery and culminates in the underground spaces of the Basilica Ulpia. At the entrance, "Window Glasses from Jonas house" (2023) features glass and metal sculptures salvaged from traditional Baltic wooden houses. Further rooms display "Part of the House from Rūdninkai" (2023) and "Part of the House from Skirgistes" (2023), reassembled weathered wooden planks that highlight lost craftsmanship. The centerpiece is a group of Mudmen—straw and mud figures placed among marble floor fragments and column drums in the Basilica Ulpia. These figures originated as snowmen for the 2020 Riga Biennial, but due to a snowless winter, Serapinas used mud instead, linking them to climate change. Gianni notes the figures evoke urgent political discussions, reminiscent of 2nd-century Roman citizens. Serapinas previously showed at Basement Roma (2018), the Venice Biennale (2019), and Unlimited (2023) with "Čiurlionis Gym." The exhibition draws on the concept of ruins, echoing Anselm Kiefer's statement: "I was born among ruins. I love ruins because they are the starting point for something new."