On Thursday evening, the National M.K.Čiurlionis Museum of Art in Kaunas became the epicentre of Lithuanian culture – it hosted the national premiere of the virtual reality film “Creation of the Worlds” by directors Kristina Buožytė and Vitalius Žukas, dedicated to one of the country’s most significant artists – Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis. This is not only a new work by the creators of “Trail of Angels”, but also a unique way to rediscover the art, music and philosophy of this genius in the 21st century through the use of cutting-edge technologies.

The uniqueness of the national premiere was confirmed by distinguished guests, including Professor Vytautas Landsbergis, Vice-Minister of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania dr. Ingrida Veliūtė, opera soloist Vytautas Juozapaitis and his wife, Edita Sabalionytė, Head of the National Association of Creative and Cultural Industries, Agnija Šeiko, Head of the Contemporary Dance Theatre, Roman Matulis, Head of the Baltic Film and Creative Technology Industries, creative Saugirdas Vaitulionis, entrepreneur and public figure Rugilė Cibulskaitė, plastic surgeon Vygantas Kaikaris and his wife Kristina Kaikariene, event organiser, broadcaster Gerda Žemaitė and other art and culture lovers. It was more than a film screening – it was a journey into the universe of Čiurlionis, which no one had ever seen before.

The virtual reality (VR) experience “Creation of the Worlds”, created by directors Kristina Buožytė and Vitalius Žukas, entered the reality of three-dimensional, interactive art and gave a new insight into one of the most prominent Lithuanian artists – Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis and his brilliantly created universe, where art, music, and philosophy merge into a harmonious artistic whole.

The audience was immersed in a magical, mysterious world where colours become sound, music becomes image, and each viewer becomes an active participant in this universe. Here, symbols take on meaning, the elements stir up storms within, and Čiurlionis’ deepest ideas take on flesh.

“As we began to delve deeper into Čiurlionis’s work, so many depths opened up that it was simply impossible to contain them in one virtual reality experience. That’s why we chose one of his most important themes – the creation of the world. Everyone who watches this experience becomes part of that creation,” says director Kristina Buožytė.

One of the most striking elements of “Creation of the Worlds” is interactivity. The virtual universe is enhanced by the sound environment, which was created by composers Rokas Zubovas and Phil Von (France), interpreting Čiurlionis’ music.

“We didn’t want to create a purely technological effect – this is not a ride. It’s important for us that the viewer becomes completely immersed, forgets the real world and is led by the spirit of creation itself. A lot of the time, you experience yourself as a free bird soaring through the universe of Čiurlionis. The most important thing is to realise that your flight is not accidental. You yourself influence it. All you need to do is to relax and imagine that you are flying”, says director Vitalijus Žukas.

After the screening, the guests were overwhelmed with emotion and struggled for words to describe this extraordinary experience.

“This is magnificent. The finale sort of sends out a very clear message that there is something that creates our world, but the whole world is in our hands and we are each part of creating it. There were moments when you seem to be in tears, both from the beauty of it and from all the terrifying experiences. Even those who are not interested in art at all have to see it, it really is a miracle. Even my son Mykolas watched the film wide-eyed with fascination, and after the film he had so many questions about Čiurlionis, about the images he had seen. It is a wonderful tool for learning about art, even for those who are not interested in art,” said Gerda Žemaitė, the presenter.

Meanwhile, opera soloist Vytautas Juozapaitis assured that it is almost impossible to describe this experience in words, and that this work is a must-see for absolutely everyone: “This is the perfect way to bring people closer to classical art. When I watched „Trail of Angels“ – I cried, I didn’t want to take my glasses off and I wanted to stay in that virtual reality. I already knew what to expect, but I was still shocked – to put this experience into words is the same as nothing. You are immersed in a completely different world, in another dimension. Especially in this reality that we live in now, to be in this space is an unreal gift. I think everyone should come and see the original exhibition of Čiurlionis’ works and save this film for dessert. It was really close to a miracle.”

Kristina Kaikarienė, the organiser of the events, emphasised that this work will be a new way to introduce Lithuanian art to foreign visitors: “The different elements seen in the film simply affect people, creating a tsunami of emotions. It is a new level of cultural expression. I already know what we are going to give to our friends – this film is a treasure. It will take some time to understand everything we have seen before we can put it into words.”

The creators of the project are pleased that many industry professionals have contributed to this VR experience, including sound director Vytis Puronas, Muona Studio, and distribution partner Virtualiai in Lithuania.

The virtual experience commemorating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mikolaj Konstantinas Čiurlionis has been developed over three years and will reach not only 70 different Lithuanian cities, but also the world’s major cities. “We plan to show from Helsinki to Los Angeles, from South Korea to Japan,” said Eleonora Romuva, Strategic Producer for Development Abroad.

“Creation of the Worlds” will be screened throughout Lithuania from 21 February at permanent venues in Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda and Druskininkai, as well as travelling through Lithuania, visiting more than 70 cities and towns. But this is just the beginning. This virtual journey will be presented in an international space, opening the door to the genius universe of Čiurlionis to a worldwide audience. This is the largest virtual reality art project in Lithuania to date, proving that culture and the latest technologies can create a whole new dimension of artistic experience.

Moments from the opening event of “Creation of the Worlds” in Kaunas (Gallery):