Wellcome to Vilnius. Give us your money!
Tourist adventures in Vilnius through the eyes of cartoonists.
Vilnius Old Town attracts not only tourists - there are many catering institutions and shops, but there are also taxi drivers and beggars seeking alms from tourists. Caricature contest-exhibition ‘Welcome to Vilnius. Give us your money!’ is held in the courtyard by the Gate of Dawn. This exhibition in a very humorous fashion and with a wit brings into public focus these pressing issues of social and business ethics in Vilnius. Part of the funds collected during the exhibition will go to the social organization ‘Caritas’.
“I live in Vilnius Old Town and I see that here, just like in many other big cities, the owners of restaurants and other catering institutions give tourists menus with higher prices, and sellers along with taxi drivers ask tourists to pay more for goods and services provided than a local would pay. Also, the streets of the capital are full of beggars, pickpockets and fraudsters who want to cash in on visiting tourists. These social issues have not been addressed by legal authorities and organs of the public order for many years,” says Giedrius Guntorius, leader of company Amber Trip.
According to him, the participants of the exhibition-competition tried to look at these problems from a different angle - humorously and wittily draw attention to the problems and urge society not to avoid them, but to make suggestions for their solution.
“I am glad that the idea, emerging for several years, was finally implemented this year. We pay very special attention to the poor and homeless: information stickers about the social service organization ‘Caritas’ will be taped in the courtyard of the exhibition-competition, and part of the funds from the sold works of cartoonists will be transferred to this organization,” says G. Guntorius.
Vilnius caricature contest-exhibition ‘Welcome to Vilnius. Give us your money’ contains humorous, funny drawings, cartoons, caricatures, collages, combining educational and informational messages. In the courtyard of the Old Town of Vilnius by the Gate of Dawn 50 caricatures made by 15 authors are exhibited.
“This exhibition-competition provided an opportunity for cartoonists to try and expand the space for humorous distribution. The topic of the event-competition was especially relevant, since the authors of the works were able to gain new skills and practical experience to participate in a non-traditional exhibition area and at the same time contribute to the promotion of the city of Vilnius. The caricature exhibition in the courtyard of the old town is another tourist site, a nice and pleasant attraction for the guests and residents of Vilnius,” says Sarunas Jakstas, Chairman of the National Cartoonists' Association ‘Humor Sapiens’. According to Jakstas, there are countries where similar caricature exhibitions are regularly held. They are financed and supported by state and public organizations, as well as institutions working in the field of tourism infrastructure and entrepreneurs.
“Humor is a universal language (form) of communication that can be understood all over the world without translators. Sometimes one cartoon can say much more than a long article or a TV report,” says the leader of the National Cartoonists' Association ‘Humor Sapiens’.
“We are very pleased with the initiative of our neighbors on Ausros Vartu Street. If only this great initiative covered Vilnius widely, we would have really good results,” says Vaidas Maziliauskas, public figure of the III Vilnius Police Commissariat.
Vilnius caricature exhibition-competition ‘Welcome to Vilnius. Give us your money’ was opened on June 22 on Ausros Vartu street, 15. The exhibition is hosted by ‘Amber Trip’ in cooperation with the National Cartoonists' Association ‘Humor Sapiens’. The event is planned to be held annually.
Additional Information
Giedrius Guntorius
Leader of company Amber Trip, UAB
+370 698 86244 giedrius@guntorius.lt
Project coordinator:
+370 688 56 063 invitation@ambertrip.com
