Baltic Way Exhibition Highlights Peaceful Resistance in New York

Photoville Show Connects History to Modern Security Concerns

A powerful exhibition documenting the “Baltic Way” – a 600km human chain protesting Soviet occupation – has arrived at Photoville in Brooklyn, New York. The show aims to educate international audiences about the Baltic states’ path to independence and the ongoing challenges they face.

Exploring Collective Memory

The exhibition, titled The Baltic Way as Soft Resistance, is a collaboration between photographer and gallerist Temuri Hvingiya and Ukrainian street and documentary photographer Andrii Mur. It delves into the geopolitical, psychological, and cultural repercussions of the Baltic Way, a pivotal moment in Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian history.

The project features work from Estonian photographer Peeter Langovits, Latvian photographer Aivars Liepiņš, Lithuanian photographer Romualdas Požerskis, alongside contributions from Mati Hiis, Vytautas Daraškevičius, and archival materials from the Tallinn Photo Museum, the Latvian Photo Museum, and the Lithuanian Museum of the Victims of Genocide.

Echoes of Peaceful Protest

The exhibition draws parallels between the Baltic Way and Georgia’s recent “Chain of Unity” demonstration in December 2024, which advocated for EU membership. This highlights the continuing relevance of non-violent resistance as a tool for achieving political goals. According to a 2023 report by the International Center for Nonviolent Conflict, countries with a strong history of nonviolent resistance are 3.5 times more likely to achieve democratic transitions than those relying on violence. International Center for Nonviolent Conflict

Andrii Mur and Temuri Hvingiya hope the exhibition will encourage cultural understanding and foster dialogue between the United States and Estonia. The project aims to support American-Estonian cooperation, both now and in the future.

The Baltic Way, which took place in 1989, saw approximately 2 million people from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania join hands, demonstrating their collective desire for self-determination.

More details about the exhibition can be found on the Photoville website.