Probably, none of the almost one hundred issues of the magazine had so many congratulations in them! Although we always find the most interesting characters of Kaunas, who really deserve to be interviewed, this time we decided to dedicate the issue to the applause. After all, there are a great number of awards in Lithuania. If it isn’t held by an organization then by a city, or the country, and sometimes even international awards come flying our way. And in May, Kaunas is celebrating its birthday as well. Isn’t it a great opportunity to congratulate the beloved city while rejoicing in the victories of the people who create it?
Of course, 64 pages would not be enough to interview all the winners of Fortūna. So, it was necessary to use magic, consider the principles of diversity, and keep something for the future. In the editorial office, we agreed as follows: we choose one, two, or three laureates each and do not assign more tasks to each other. We ask the well-known person, who has just been awarded for their creative work, whatever we feel like. It doesn’t necessarily have to be about a specific statuette or prize, although, let’s face it, they are significant indeed.
It is rather easy to see how much the winners’ lists were influenced by the final year of the European Capital of Culture, after reading all the interviews. Almost all articles mention this title in one form or another, not always in a positive light. This is also a great opportunity to think about how much time a real artist, a sincere creator should devote to modern challenges, short distances, quick results, and how much time to eternal searches that do not depend on slogans and deadlines.
So, find the May issue here and do not spare the applause for the honorable Rebeka Bruder, Monika Žaltauskaitė-Grašienė, Marija Arutiunova, Gabrielė Bukinė, Jonas Janulevičius, Vladimiras Šerstabojevas, Gediminas Jankus, Monika Balčiauskaitė, Mantas Pakeltis, Žilvinas Širka, Šarūnas Šimaitis, and Saulius Bagaliūnas.
