The impression left on the audience attending the Maintenant Lithuania events held over the weekend of April 8th only served to confirm Tomas S. Butkus’ reputation as one of the most complex and creative poets currently at work in the unusually healthy Lithuanian poetry scene. Sometimes seen as an irreverent and idiosyncratic poet, due perhaps his use of many mediums (text, video, sonic art, collage), his membership in an experimental art performance collective or his distinctive use of surrealist imagery – his work in fact continues the revolutionary underground spirit of creativity that underpinned some of the greatest poetry Europe produced while Lithuania was under Soviet occupation. Perhaps rather Butkus’ work stands out from a certain contemporary style (reformed, controlled and meditative) by virtue of its energy and individuality. And without doubt, as the people attending Europe House and the Rich Mix arts centre discovered, the man is equal to his work. Celebrating the Maintenant Lithuania project and our 57th edition, we welcome Tomas S. Butkus,
http://www.3ammagazine.com/3am/maintenant-57-%e2%80%93-tomas-s-butkus/

Accompanying the interview are five of Tomas’ poems, translated by Kerry Shawn Keys, Edgaras Platelis, Becka Mara Mckay, Gerrie Fellows & Jake MB Levine

http://www.3ammagazine.com/3am/five-poems-tomas-s-butkus/

Huge thanks to everyone who attended and performed at Europe House in Westminster and the Rich mix arts centre in Brick Lane for the Maintenant Lithuania events last weekend. Both nights were fantastic, memorable for the quality of the work on display and the atmosphere generated by those who were kind enough to attend. Pictures and sound recordings of both events will be online soon, and the Rich mix event was filmed by the BBC for an upcoming cultural arts feature program. Special thanks to Gabriele Labanauskaite, Tomas Butkus, Donatas Petrosius and Daiva Parulskiene. Our next event looks to be in June, most likely Maintenant Slovakia.