Bokstas 25

As the tallest structure in Lithuania the Televizijos Bokstas (Television Tower) can be seen from almost anywhere in the capital city of Vilnius. After the night of January 13th 1991 the tower has become revered as a symbol of Lithuania’s move towards independence. On that fateful night Soviet tanks and army personal encircled the tower, in an attempt to silence the voices of dissent from within. Soviet forces opened fire into the crowd of over 1000 protesters killing at least 13 people and injuring over 140.

It was the 25th anniversary year of the siege and to mark the occasion I circumnavigated the tower 25 times on foot, with each circuit heading further out into the city. Walking around an object can create a deeper understanding of it, express feelings of reverence towards a place and pays homage to the events that have taken place there. Covering 170km in 6 days, I photographed the tower and those I came across during my walk.

Bokstas 25 was made as part of the MAP6 Lithuania Project which has been exhibited in numerous venus including the Onca Gallery in Brighton and as part of Peckham 24 festival in London. The series was also published as part of the Chronicles boxset by The Velvet Cell.