PERFORMANCE: 8 MINUTES OF HUGGING

Evelina Simanavičiūtė, 2025, Culture Night, Vilnius (Authors’ House, LATGA)

This participatory performance invited members of the public to engage in an extended hug with the artist lasting eight minutes. During the embrace, participants could choose to draw freely on a canvas affixed to the artist’s back using any medium, or simply remain in the hug without creating any artwork. The only requirement was to maintain the hug for the full duration.

The work explored themes of vulnerability, human connection, and emotional presence. Simanavičiūtė encouraged participants to confront the discomfort of physical closeness with a stranger, highlighting the importance of human contact in a time marked by social withdrawal and emotional detachment. The act of hugging was presented not as a romantic or sexual gesture, but as a grounding experience—one offering comfort, emotional release, and a shared moment of stillness.

The duration of eight minutes was chosen based on psychological research suggesting that this amount of daily physical contact promotes relaxation, emotional stability, and a sense of belonging—needs that often go unmet in contemporary life.

Contrary to initial expectations that younger individuals would be more inclined to participate, the performance revealed greater openness and emotional availability among older adults, children, and women.

Over the six-hour performance, 28 people took part.

Photos: D. Umbrasas, L. Borotinskas, D. Labutis

*The performance was presented for the second time in Klaipėda, Lithuania, during the Sea Festival, commissioned by the Lyceum Gallery.