Hippocampal Memory, wall and ceiling installation, Neuro-Salon exhibit, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia

The hippocampus is essential in memory processing. The pattern for the wall and ceiling installation is based on drawings of the human cerebral cortex, made by the Nobel prize winning neuroscientist, Ramon y Cajal, more than a century ago. The installed pieces are “thought fragments” which incorporate neuronal profiles, my own art works visually transformed, along with images of my own MRI brain scans and electroencephalograms while thinking various artistic topics. In many of these fragments, pieces of words emerge, just as our own verbal thought processes emerge from web-works of neuronal activity.

The wall installation is 13 x 32 feet in size (over 400 square feet) and the cylindrical conduit along the ceiling is almost 80 feet long, for an additional 240 square feet of interacting neurons. In this exhibit, the conduit serves as a metaphor for neuronally based information, which flows in and out of the hippocampus, to memory storage sites throughout the cerebral cortex. The hippocampus serves a central role in organizing memory storage.

It is in reference to our memories, our experiences, our self-reflections, that we as cognizant human beings emerge. In the wall installation, I purposefully designed a pair of “dancing neurons” performing a tango, and a joyful “swinging neuron” enjoying the moment. These details were included because this is not simply an illustration of neuronal networks, rather this is a denotation of us as human beings, enjoying life, enjoying others, engaged in social activities. It is because of these neurons, and the memories contained therein, that we emerge as individuals and as social beings.

The Neuro-Salon exhibit is from April 11 through May 4, 2012, Stubbins Studio Gallery, East Architecture Building, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia. With special thanks to Barbara Stafford for organizing this exhibit, and to Faraz Kamili for his assistance during the installation. Below, It Takes Two to Tango:

I presented a PowerPoint lecture about this subject, at the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture, in Chicago on Sunday, March 25. The attendance was excellent. After the talk, I gave a personal tour of the Hope and Spirit exhibit that I had organized, which dealt with this subject.

Much more significantly, however, was the presentation I gave Tuesday, March 27, at St. Rita High School, also here in Chicago. This is the high school from which I graduated. This was a 45 minute PowerPoint presentation, reviewing Stalin’s deportations, with an emphasis of why this subject is so important in our contemporary world.

There were 250 students in attendance, and the talk was broadcast live, on line, throughout the Augustinian order’s high school system in North America. Over 150 classrooms listened to my presentation. The total number of students who heard my talk is estimated to have been between three and four thousand.

The major reason for my past two years of dedication and hard work has been to educate the general public about Stalin’s atrocities. If one forgets history, it will repeat itself. Thus, I am very glad to have had the opportunity of informing several thousand high school students.

The presentation has been videotaped and will be available on-line in the near future, on the St. Rita High School website. The photographs were made by Ms. Laura Fleck.

With friends in the tropical beauty of the Crystal Ballroom (photo by Ms. Asta Zimkus).

On Sunday, March 11, the Lithuanian Consulate, in Chicago, organized a festive day commemorating Lithuanian independence, in the tropical gardens of the Crystal Ballroom, Navy Pier, in downtown Chicago. Given the dour and bleak out-of-doors, in Chicago’s early March, this was a most pleasant reprieve. The day was filled with dancing, songs, food, drinks, performances, crafts demonstrations, and the obligatory political speeches. I was honored to be invited to display several of my art works during this festive event. The art exhibit was organized by Ms. Nora Ausra (dressed in white in the photo above) and included a total of 11 artists.

On February 18, the Child Neurology Foundation held it’s annual Mardi Gras fundraiser in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Christopher is a noted local fashion designer of Project Runway fame. These two fashion statements, along with an original print, sold at auction for a total of $3,300. It is wonderful that my artistic activities were able to raise funds to support child neurology research.

In the picture below, to the left is Dave Dahl, the noted Minneapolis TV weatherman, who was the master of ceremonies. Then myself, and Christopher. We are applauding the winning $1,800 bid for the dress.

We were tossed far into the north of Yakutija, near the Lena River, on the island called Tit Ary. We were there fifteen years. I think it is hard to envision the difficulties of living there. It was very difficult getting accustomed to the harsh climate. There were nine months of winter, and basically no summer. Polar nights were long and the cold was severe. We had to survive the cold.

I raised four sons, but none have married–in these circumstances it is very difficult to find someone compatible with you.

There was a severe shortage of warm clothing. In this climate, not having warm clothing made life extremely difficult. The primary occupation was fishing. At first it was very difficult because I was not used to this kind of work, and did not know my way around. But time heals everything. Little, by little, I got used to it. During the last year there, I was a very good fisher-woman, and even ended up on the year’s honor roll.

We had our own transport team–12 reliable dogs and a sled. We fed them fish and porridge. We used their fur (wool) to make gloves and socks.

There is no summer, but on warmer days, on the tundra, it is possible to find various berries–they grow right next to the earth–and are similar to raspberries.

All vegetables here are dried. That is why we all suffer from scurvy. Fairly quickly after arriving here, we lost all our teeth.

My husband worked various jobs. In the beginning, he worked as a lumberjack in the Altai Region, then he built houses in the far north and remodeled them. Finally, he worked as a fisherman and studied meteorological phenomena.

My husband has retired. But the pension he receives is very small, so he has to continue working. He can only work where it is warm, and  so he stokes stoves. He works 12 hours a day, which tires him extremely.

I wish Mary all the best fighting her illness, because I myself have rheumatic inflammation of my joints, a consequence of “the good life”.

Given the massive numbers of deportations, deaths, and fleeing of individuals from Eastern Europe, very many families were separated. A request which occurs repeatedly in the letters from Siberia, is an appeal for assistance in locating relatives.

“Dear uncles, aunts and brothers-in-law;  In response to your letter, written on June 1, I answered it immediately after the death of my mother. I enclosed 3 photographs of the funeral, and I wrote rather superficially about life here. But, did you receive the letter? That is not clear. Thus, I do not know whether to write or not. When I receive word that our letters reach you, I will write about everything.”

In many letters from Siberia, the dates of letters received and written are carefully recorded, so that track could be kept of missing (meaning censored) letters. Mr. Kuzma, had written a carefully worded letter which was “rather superficial” but was censored. This second attempt made it to Chicago, as did at least one more subsequent letter.

Everyone who wrote letters from Siberia knew of the censorship, and expected their letters to be reviewed. Thus, the content of the vast majority of these letters deal with “rather superficial” life events and issues. Nevertheless, one can read between the lines and understand the true meaning. Also, some revealing items did slip through the censorship system, as this blog sequence, letters from Siberia, has revealed.

“October 27, 1957. We received our documents and can return to our homeland. We were extremely happy, as were others. Several, having sold all their possessions to purchase train tickets home, hurried to leave. But all of those who left, were sadly disappointed. What met them in Lithuania was the same ill fortune that met us here when we arrived in Siberia. We learned both from letters, and from those who have returned to Siberia, that the people in Lithuania have changed, they have been re-educated. No-one is waiting for us to return with outstretched arms. In the immediate future, we have no plans of returning to Lithuania.”

Hundreds of thousands of innocent Lithuanians, many millions of innocent individuals across Eastern Europe, lost all their possessions, and were deported to face slave labor, and almost certain death. In their letters, they constantly dream of returning home. It was startling to come across this entry, and many others with similar content. Upon reflection, it is clear what had happened over the intervening decade, or more. All of your personal possessions were either destroyed or confiscated by the state–meaning, you have no physical place to return to. Your friends and relatives, just like yourself, were deported, killed, or fled from Eastern Europe–leaving very few of your past acquaintances. Under these circumstances finding work was also very difficult.

And then the ultimate insult added to injury, “they have been re-educated. No one is waiting for us to return.” One must remember that all letters were read and censored. The actual meaning of these last sentences, is that upon returning to Lithuania, you are considered a convicted criminal who has served his time. Because you owned something, such as a violin, a piano, a small family farm, or had some degree of education, you were convicted as being a criminal against the state, and were deported. Once a convict, always a convict. Such was the new Soviet society.

In very many letters from Siberia, there are detailed listings of items that were received in packages sent from abroad. It is clear that there was constant concern that packages were opened and items removed, prior to delivery. Also, very many letters note that promised packages never arrived. For many deported families, survival was possible only because of the packages that were sent by relatives and friends, from outside the Soviet Union.

In this letter, Mindaugas mentions his 8 month old son, Antanas. He writes that Antanas is healthy, is able to sit, and several teeth are starting to show. As soon as he sees his father, he starts to cry and scream, until Mindaugas picks him up and cradles him. Once held, he smiles, gazes at everybody, sings and acts haughty. He is starting to make babbling sounds.

This 8 month old “wrote” a letter, using a crayon, to his foreign relative: “Dear Uncle, I am sending you warmest greetings for the upcoming celebration. With kisses, Antanas”

It appears that infants born in Siberia were very precocious.