During WWII and in the post-war period, large-scale deportations took place in Lithuania. It is estimated that more than 130,000 people were deported from Lithuania between 1940 and 1953. In the face of the threat of extinction, it was important to preserve identity and strengthen the spirit. Kaunas Ninth Fort Museum collects silent witnesses of the exile: unique small handicrafts made by deportees (vizitėlės, which are pieces of embroidery with a short text, memory books – decorative hearts with inscriptions, brooches, etc.). These handicrafts are a material embodiment of memory, resistance and identity. They were brought to Lithuania by the deportees from the harshest parts of the Soviet Union. The textiles contain individual stories and accumulated knowledge, as well as become a message or a sign to be sent and received.

More information: https://kultura.kaunas.lt/en/events/view/tremtiniu-tekstiles-ir-skulpturiniu-objektu-paroda-sudygsniuota/11709?prev=all