{"id":631556,"date":"2025-10-30T09:21:54","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T07:21:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/angelutakais.lt\/a-look-from-within-creation-of-the-worlds-and-the-road-to-venice\/"},"modified":"2026-01-12T10:29:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T08:29:10","slug":"a-look-from-within-creation-of-the-worlds-and-the-road-to-venice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/angelutakais.lt\/en\/a-look-from-within-creation-of-the-worlds-and-the-road-to-venice\/","title":{"rendered":"A look from within: Creation of the Worlds and the road to Venice"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

After returning in September from the Venice Film Festival \u2014 where the world premiere of the virtual reality experience Creation of the Worlds took place in the Venice Immersive program \u2014 directors Kristina Buo\u017eyt\u0117 and Vitalijus \u017dukas share their impressions and behind-the-scenes insights.They reflect on the journey from the very first ideas to a fully immersive experience, on interpreting the universe of Mikalojus Konstantinas \u010ciurlionis through the VR medium, and on what it means to present a Lithuanian work on one of the most important stages of world cinema \u2014 in this interview. <\/p>\n\n

\u2013 When did you realize that after Trail of Angels you wanted to return to \u010ciurlionis \u2014 this time with a completely different VR experience?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Vitalijus: It didn\u2019t happen right away. We also considered other artists, but over time \u010ciurlionis\u2019 pull became irresistibly strong. We realized that the story he tells is not yet finished, and that we wanted to return to the world he created \u2014 to bring back new stories from it. And even today, after two works, we still feel the same way. <\/p>\n\n

Kristina: We kept receiving the same question from audiences: when will there be a next part? At first, I was rather skeptical. However, hearing that question again and again, and realizing just how vast \u010ciurlionis\u2019 body of work is \u2014 and that with Trail of Angels we had only touched a small fragment of it \u2014 my view on creating a new piece began to change.\u010ciurlionis\u2019 world is immense. He is an exceptionally interesting and profound artist, whose ideas and messages have not lost their relevance even today, and we felt a strong desire to convey that depth to the audience as well. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Photo by G. Gra\u017eys.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

\u2013 What was the initial creative hypothesis: what can VR say about \u010ciurlionis\u2019 worlds that a cinema hall or a gallery cannot?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Vitalijus: If you are able to look and truly feel, you can see everything even in a gallery. But there comes a desire to share what you have seen \u2014 and this is where virtual reality offers limitless possibilities. It is a medium capable of transporting you into a real yet wondrous world, where everyday life fades away and you enter a parallel universe. <\/p>\n\n

Kristina: \u010ciurlionis\u2019 works are ideal for the virtual reality platform \u2014 this is where they reveal themselves most fully. It feels as though he lived within his own creative universe, where images, music, and ideas were woven into a single, harmonious whole. The VR platform allows us to glimpse his world and feel the emotions it radiates. <\/p>\n\n

\u2013 Creation of the Worlds encompasses the cycle of creation, flourishing, destruction, and rebirth. How did you dramaturgically structure this rhythm \u2014 this breathing \u2014 within the VR space? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Vitalijus: There was no need for heavy structuring \u2014 \u010ciurlionis had already done it all. Our task was simply to see it and translate it. All the narratives are embedded in his work; it was enough to connect a few points. The process was made easier by the fact that he himself drew on a biblical narrative.But this is not the Bible as we usually know it \u2014 it is a book of parallel universes, with both similarities and differences. Look at the Creation of the World cycle: the flora and fauna resemble our world, yet they are not copies of it \u2014 there are two moons in the sky\u2026 We also allowed ourselves to imagine further. For example, in our story the flood is caused not by God, but by a demon \u2014 for us, this felt more relatable. <\/p>\n\n

Kristina: It is also a story about human maturity \u2014 we arrive in a created world in order to experience it, and as we live, we eventually realize that we ourselves are the creators and guardians of our own worlds. All these narratives already exist within \u010ciurlionis\u2019 paintings; our role is to see them and convey them to the viewer. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Photo by G. Gra\u017eys.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

\u2013 How does your second VR work differ from the first one \u2014 in terms of goals, narrative, interactivity, and technical scale?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Vitalijus: It differs in many ways, and this was a conscious decision. Creating a continuation of a successful work is difficult \u2014 there is a temptation to repeat the winning formula, simply elevating it to a higher technical level. We chose instead to search for new forms of storytelling, new emotions, and new sensations.The spirit of \u010ciurlionis remains, but there are far more differences between the works than similarities. Trail of Angels was a sacred experience \u2014 many people cried at the end, experiencing an emotional catharsis. Creation of the Worlds is more of a transcendent tale, immersing the viewer in a meditative state where the viewer and the world merge into one.It is an experience of free flight, reminiscent of dreams. In the PC version, this flight is controlled by the viewer \u2014 there is no need to learn any mechanics; it is enough to believe that you can fly. <\/p>\n\n

Vitalijus: Technically, everything has grown to a much larger scale. For example, the Muona team spent several months creating the city \u2014 studying all the elements of \u010ciurlionis\u2019 Cities cycle, building their models, and assembling a coherent, logical urban environment.In the PC version, the viewer chooses their own flight path and can even discover hidden routes. One could write a separate article about all the differences, but what matters most to us is that the majority of viewers say they truly enjoy both works. <\/p>\n\n

Kristina: I\u2019d also like to highlight the music \u2014 this time, instead of using existing compositions, we worked with Rokas Zubovas and Phil Von, who created an original score specifically for this experience. They drew on motifs from \u010ciurlionis\u2019 existing works, which Rokas expanded through his improvisations, while Phil brought everything together with an electronic music soundscape. It was a very engaging and inspiring process. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Photo by G. Gra\u017eys.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

\u2013 What creative decision did you not allow yourselves in Trail of Angels, but which the maturity of VR and technology made possible in Creation of the Worlds?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Vitalijus: It wasn\u2019t so much new technology that gave us more possibilities, but rather the fact that we had more time and a larger team of specialists. This allowed us to expand the scale of the project and discover new technical solutions. <\/p>\n\n

\u2013 Music and sound \u2014 where did you begin: with the visuals or with sound dramaturgy? How did the collaboration with the composers unfold, and how does \u010ciurlionis sound within the VR medium? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Vitalijus: We began with visual dramaturgy, but very quickly the music started to influence the image as well. It became a kind of ping-pong between sound and visuals.In Trail of Angels, we used \u010ciurlionis\u2019 music together with a minimalist composition by Mindaugas Urbaitis, which added a sense of modernity. Creation of the Worlds required a new path. We found it after hearing a concert by Rokas Zubovas and French electronic music artist Phil Von, interpreting \u010ciurlionis\u2019 music. That experience deeply impressed us and opened up a clear creative direction.I am completely satisfied with this decision \u2014 for example, the scene with the three suns would not be nearly as powerful without the hypnotic, almost ecstatic effect of the music. <\/p>\n\n

\u2013 The curators of the Venice Immersive program described your work as visually powerful and meditative. What does meditation mean to you in VR art? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Vitalijus: It is the cornerstone of our creative work. VR is a powerful medium capable of conveying a wide range of emotions \u2014 from empathy to existential fear. What interests us most is its ability to stop time, to make the viewer stay within a moment, to feel the world as something new and full of wonder, much like in childhood. This is important to us personally, and we believe it is no less important for the world as a whole. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Photo by G. Gra\u017eys.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

\u2013 Which response in Venice surprised or moved you the most?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Vitalijus: What moved me most was learning that some viewers were long-time fans of Trail of Angels and had been eagerly waiting for our new work. Many wanted to experience it again, though the festival system hardly allows repeat viewings.What was most surprising, however, was hearing the curators themselves admit that they watched Creation of the Worlds many times \u2014 after intense days of festival preparations, it helped them release psychological tension. <\/p>\n\n

Kristina: Yes, exactly. When Lisa Rosenthal, curator of the Immersive program, told us that after long workdays she would go to watch our piece in order to rest and recover, it was truly moving to hear. We spent a great deal of time with \u010ciurlionis\u2019 works, and we are often asked whether we ever grow tired of them \u2014 but there is so much light in his art. It both recharges and inspires us. <\/p>\n\n

\u2013 What is your decision-making ritual as a creative duo?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Vitalijus: It\u2019s a simple rule \u2014 the decision goes to the one for whom it matters more. If it\u2019s not that important to one of us, they step back. If we\u2019re unsure, we say: let\u2019s try it \u2014 if it doesn\u2019t work, we\u2019ll change it. In truth, disagreements are rare. Our duo likely formed because we share a similar artistic taste and value system. Often, while watching a new version, I would hear Kristina voice the exact comments I was just about to make myself. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Photo by G. Gra\u017eys.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

\u2013 If you had another six months for creation, what would you add?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Vitalijus: The work has already been born, and we want to let it go on its journey. Perhaps I would only adjust a few visual details that I\u2019m not entirely happy with. We are already working on haptics \u2014 wind and scent elements. <\/p>\n\n

Kristina: Yes, the work is already finished and completed at the stage we intended. It will be very interesting to hear audience feedback once we enhance the experience with multisensory elements \u2014 wind, scents, and haptics. This will allow us to blur the boundary between reality and the created world even further. <\/p>\n\n

\u2013 Which VR \/ XR direction do you consider still underexplored in Lithuania, and what would you like to experiment with yourselves?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Vitalijus: In Lithuania, I haven\u2019t yet seen narrative room-scale VR, where the viewer can freely walk around a large physical space. At first glance, it may seem like a small change, but it opens up countless new sensory and storytelling possibilities.This year in Venice, the main award went to a work in precisely this genre \u2014 The Clouds Are Two Thousand Meters Up \u2014 and Blur also received a great deal of attention. It would be very exciting to work in this field ourselves, even though it is technically quite challenging to implement. <\/p>\n\n

\u2013 Advice for a creator dreaming of being selected for Venice Immersive.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Vitalijus: The most important thing is to know what idea you want to convey to the viewer and why you are choosing the immersive medium to do so. If you have clear answers to these questions, you have a real chance.Creators from Lithuania are currently receiving additional attention \u2014 the festival jury has already taken note of our country\u2019s name. <\/p>\n\n

Article prepared by Rasa Mork\u016bnait\u0117.<\/p>\n\n

\n