What are the generational chains of families, and how are they transformed into movement? In this video work, eight different families perform in front of the camera, revealing the closeness and intimacy that lay in the core of their family structure. Through the families’ suggested narratives, From Mother to Daughter examines the sensuality of lived kinesthetic experience and the possible translations of that medium to video art. To underline the intimacy, choreographer Maria Saivosalmi and filmmaker Vytautas Puidokas have chosen the video set up for the work to be very simple: a black studio, a static camera, and people moving in the locked frame. The choreographic proposals for the work were developed together with the families during the informal discussions. The project started in Lithuania, in the year 2019. In its initial stages, Saivosalmi and Puidokas were meeting families from different backgrounds and discussing with them about their family structures, generational chains, and family life in general. Some of the families were found through personal connections, others through institutions such as Rukla Refugees Reception Center, Kirtimai Culture Center, and Art Printing House Vilnius. This is Saivosalmi and Puidokas’ first collaborative project. For the video they also worked with the Lithuanian filmmaker/ cinematographer Vytautas Katkus. From Mother to Daughter was curated to CAC (Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius) exhibition Head with Many Thought, where it was presented in spring 2020.

Maria Saivosalmi

Maria Saivosalmi has been working broadly in the field of contemporary dance as a choreographer, performer, and teacher since 2002. She worked as a dancer in Helsinki Dance Company 2004–2012. Recently she was performing in Öh by Sonja Jokiniemi in Moving in November 2020. Her choreographic work has been presented and supported widely both locally and internationally. She has been working for sixteen years as a dance artist in Helsinki Deaconess Institute mostly with substance abuse clients. At the moment, she is working as a lecturer in Contemporary Dance at University of Arts Helsinki, Theatre Academy. She is also continuing her artistic work where her interest lies in topics such as intimacy and encounter.

Vytautas Puidokas

Vytautas Puidokas was born in Kelmė, Lithuania. He has a BA in Media and Film Studies from the University of Surrey, United Kingdom. His main fields of interest are music, dance and documentary filmmaking. His filmmaking career started in 2012 at Lithuanian National Television, where he worked as a scriptwriter and director. Since 2015 Vytautas is working as a freelance documentary filmmaker. His debut feature-length documentary El Padre Medico(2019) was nominated for best documentary in Lithuania, also shown in festivals in Europe and the USA. His other works include music videos, dance documentaries, and video installations. Vytautas is also a former member of Lithuanian music band Parranda Polar. He is currently based in Vilnius, Lithuania.