Go back Rīgas Cirks Residency Program: AINO MÄKIPÄÄ
03.11.2023.
From November 18 to December 1, 2023, the Riga Circus Residency program hosted Aino Mäkipää (LT/FIN) from Kanta Company. During the residency the artist worked on her solo performance “Gandras” (“Stork”) in collaboration with composer Mantvydas Pranulis.
The main circus discipline of the upcoming performance is Chinese pole acrobatics. Based on its specificity, the artist intends to create a show that explores the human connection with storks, drawing inspiration from the stories, books, documentaries about storks, and observations of these majestic birds in their natural environment in Lithuania.
The idea for the performance emerged when Aino arrived in Lithuania from Finland, where storks are extremely rare. In contrast, in Lithuania, the artist encountered numerous stories and legends about storks. Observing their seasonal migration, Aino also draws parallels to her life as a circus artist. The dual nature of the stork, with its elegant appearance and messy everyday life, intrigued the artist and became the basis for the set design of the performance.
