Emilija Škarnulytė's Mythological Films Explore Planetary Scales at Tate St Ives
Emilija Škarnulytė's exhibition at Tate St Ives features immersive films that explore themes of posthuman mythology, particularly through water and geological elements. One standout is her 2023 film Æqualia, which showcases a mermaid navigating the confluence of Brazil's Rio Solimões and Rio Negro near Manaus, highlighting the blend of waters and the threats from wildlife. Another notable work is Sirenomelia (2018), set in Norway's Arctic Circle, where she swims around a former NATO submarine base and the Geodetic Observatory in Ny-Ålesund, Spitsbergen. The exhibit also presents Telstar (2025), a two-channel film from her residency, and Xirasia (2023), part of a trilogy focusing on ancient sites near Spain’s Guadalquivir River. Additionally, Aldona (2013) reflects on her grandmother's encounters with Soviet statues in Lithuania's Grūtas Park. Škarnulytė’s art merges mythological narratives with contemporary environmental and technological concerns, creating a cohesive system of interconnected works.
Key facts
- Emilija Škarnulytė has a solo exhibition at Tate St Ives through 12 April 2026.
- Her film Æqualia (2023) documents her swimming as a mermaid at the confluence of Brazil's Rio Solimões and Rio Negro near Manaus.
- Škarnulytė filmed Sirenomelia (2018) at a decommissioned NATO submarine base in Olavsvern and the Geodetic Observatory at Ny-Ålesund, Spitsbergen, Norway.
- The exhibition includes Telstar (2025), created during her Tate St Ives residency, examining Cornwall's stone formations and the Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station.
- Her work is influenced by Lithuanian-American artist Aleksandra Kasuba and archaeomythologist Marija Gimbutas.
- Škarnulytė's film Xirasia (2023) explores ancient traces near the Guadalquivir River mouth in southern Spain.
- The show features early film Aldona (2013) with her grandmother navigating Soviet statues in Grūtas Park, Lithuania.
- Škarnulytė describes her interconnected works as 'a system' or 'pantheon' of mythological exploration.
Entities
Artists
- Emilija Škarnulytė
- Aleksandra Kasuba
- Marija Gimbutas
Institutions
- Tate St Ives
- Tate Modern
- 14th Gwangju Biennale
- NATO
- Geodetic Observatory at Ny-Ålesund
- Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station
- Grūtas Park
- ArtReview
Locations
- Manaus
- Brazil
- Rio Solimões
- Rio Negro
- Olavsvern
- Ny-Ålesund
- Spitsbergen
- Norway
- Arctic Circle
- London
- Gulf of Mexico
- Mexico City
- Tenochtitlan
- Spain
- Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant
- Lithuania
- Baiae
- Guadalquivir River
- Cornwall
- Dry Tree
- Lanyon Quoit
- Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant
- Belarus
- Gwangju