Sapieha Palace

The Palace, built in the Baroque style between 1691 and 1697, replaced the previous wooden mansion of Lew Sapieha. It was designed by Giovanni Pietro Perti and adorned with frescoes by Michelangelo Palloni. In 1809, the palace came under the ownership of the Russian government and underwent restructuring to serve as a military hospital in 1843. Unfortunately, much of the opulent interior was lost during the 19th century. In the early 21st century, the complex was repurposed as the Sapieha Hospital.

Since 2012, the palace has been undergoing extensive restoration. The primary phase of reconstruction focuses on unveiling the historical layers of this Late Baroque Palace. Carefully and methodically, restorers have been peeling back the walls, revealing the stories of Vilnius. It is during this reconstruction phase that the palace becomes the stage for specifically designed lighting performance. The architectural elements, unique mixtures of materials, and intricate details hold hidden narratives that are gradually unveiled through a series of choreographed lighting sequences. The light performance intertwines with translucent, transparent, and reflective materials that are used for the creation of the site-specific installations.

Site specific installations, lighting design -

Ruta Palionyte.

Soundscape - Krista Dintere.

Night time photos - Andrej Vasilenko.

Daytime photos - Juste Balčiūnaitė.

Production house - Užupis Art Incubator.

Vilnius Culture Night, Lithuania. 2016.