Simona Rukuižaitė selected for a research residency at Pompeii Archaeological Park

2026-09-08

The Lithuanian Interdisciplinary Artists’ Association (LIAA), together with Pompeii Archaeological Park, is pleased to announce the participant selected for the first research residency in Pompeii taking place this autumn – artist Simona Rukuižaitė.

Rukuižaitė was selected for the residency due to the close connection between her artistic practice and the proposed research, as well as the relevance of the research itself to the archaeological context of Pompeii.

At the centre of Rukuižaitė’s artistic practice is research into the material histories of earth-derived pigments, from their geological origins to their transformation into painting materials. She explores pigments not only as artistic materials, but also as geological and cultural objects. The archaeological context of Pompeii will offer a new opportunity to investigate these questions together with archaeologists, conservators and other specialists at the Park. During the one-week residency, the artist will be able to work at the archaeological site and access the Park’s specialised library, photographic archives and internal research resources.

Simona Rukuižaitė is a member of LIAA and an artist-researcher whose practice reflects on the relationships between material, landscape and time. Combining installation, field research and painting, she works with earth-derived and mineral pigments, exploring their origins, transformations and cultural memory.

Pompeii Archaeological Park actively fosters dialogue between ancient heritage and contemporary culture, recognising the importance of artistic and academic research in generating new interpretations of the site. Through various programmes and collaborative initiatives, the Park creates opportunities for encounters between artists, researchers and the archaeological context, encouraging innovative approaches to understanding and experiencing cultural heritage.

The residency programme is developed in connection with Pompeii Commitment. Archaeological Matters, the contemporary art programme of Pompeii Archaeological Park, which initiates artistic commissions, fellowships, research projects and publications, and develops long-term collaborations between artists, researchers and the archaeological site.

The residency is implemented in collaboration with the Lithuanian Culture Institute and is part of the Lithuanian Culture in Italy 2025–2026 programme, organised by the Lithuanian Culture Institute in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in the Italian Republic.

The activities of the Lithuanian Interdisciplinary Artists’ Association are funded by the Lithuanian Council for Culture.

Links

Pompeii Archaeological Park
https://pompeiisites.org/en/

Pompeii Commitment. Archaeological Matters
https://pompeiicommitment.org
https://www.instagram.com/pompeii.commitment/

Lithuanian Interdisciplinary Artists’ Association
https://www.letmekoo.lt/en/

Lithuanian Culture Institute
https://lithuanianculture.lt/en/