Piestukas
Geležinio Vilko g. 18A, Vilnius
This building stands in Vilnius. It is the Lithuania’s first skyscraper opened in 2001. Because of its shape people gave it a nickname - The Pencil. At the time it was the tallest building in the country, yet it is only 60 meters tall. The blue glass exterior reflects the city and white clouds floating in a blue sky. Its posture is dignified as if it is reaching for the sky. It even has this quirky element - metal ladders that seem to be designed to climb to the sky. These elements for me, symbolise techno-future, the exciting mood entering the new millennium, the future possibilities and the progress for Lithuania… Yet, in a few weeks, The Pencil will be demolished. Because it is engineeringly outdated, economically ineffective and can no longer meet the industry standart. I believe that ‘The Pencil’ as the first Lithuania’s skyscraper, built in the early independence period needs to be preserved, turned into a heritage site. If it no longer can be an office building, maybe we can change the function, turn it into a gallery, a museum, a place for community? Yet, the progress, the same idea so gracefully embodied by the pencil, kills it. The progress kills The Pencil. Why does this weird glass building make me feel this way? Because I grew up looking at it, I feel nostalgic about it. Therefore, I use photography to preserve it. In my practice, when I feel sentimental about a certain place, I go on the internet and revisit places that no longer exist. Maybe these photos of The Pencil could be used by other for revisiting it.
#1 roll
2025-08-12
#2 roll
2025-08-12
#3
2025-10-08
#4
2025-11-15
#5
2025-11-16
#6
2025-12-26
#7
2025-12-26
#8
2026-01