LT
On November 7, 7 p.m., an exhibition titled ‘Their Eyes Will Sear Holes In The Night Sky’ by Bianca Hisse and Laura Cemin opens at Atletika Gallery. This exhibition is the first presentation of their work in Lithuania.
The exhibition features a film about the Finland-based dance group Al Huriya Dabke. It brings together both Palestinians and local Finns who have chosen to learn and carry forward the tradition of dancing dabke. Participants of different ages and backgrounds gather weekly in Helsinki to dance together, supporting the preservation of Palestinian culture.
Dabke is a traditional line dance of the Levant region, present across Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. Its variations differ in rhythm and style, yet all share a core ethos of unity. Dancers typically join hands or shoulders, forming a line or open circle — a gesture outward, always welcoming others in. Through synchronized stomps and steps, the movement reverberates through the earth and through the group.
This exhibition is part of a long-term research project on how traditional movement practices are preserved and reshaped through migration. Bianca Hisse (Brasil/Norway) and Laura Cemin (Italy/Finland)’s collaboration was established in 2020. Their work operates at the intersection of visual art, choreography and installation, often blurring the boundaries between bodies, physical objects and verbal language. Their recent work traverses international collaborations with migrant bodies from various territories in the world. Their latest works have been shown at Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art (Helsinki, Finland), Aerowaves Twenty23 Spring Forward Festival (Dublin, Ireland), Soltumatu Tantsu Lava (Tallinn, Estonia) and Governors Island Arts (New York City, USA).
Al Huriya Dabke – Group leader: Tareq Abu Nahel; dancers: Radja Abuzaid, Moe Awashra, Kaisa Kerman, Sham Khlouf, Niina Lisma, Mohammad Thawabi, Jad Thawabi, and Katja Toivonen.
Exhibition designer – Monika Janulevičiūtė
Communication – MB Menų komunikacija
Translation – Rosana Lukauskaitė
Technical implementation manager – Jonas Balsevičius
Exhibition opening
2025/11/07 19.00, poetry reading will take place during an opening event with translator, scholar Ingrida Tatolytė and Noura Al Mawed.
Exhibition dates & times
2025/11/07–12/06
Thursdays & Fridays 16.00–19.00, Saturdays 13.00–17.00
Address: Atletika Gallery, Vitebsko 21, Vilnius. Free entry.
Organised by the Lithuanian Interdisciplinary Artists’ Association. LIAA activities are financed by the Lithuanian Council for Culture and Vilnius City Municipality. Artists’ participation is financed by Nordic Culture Fund.