About this Event
About the Exhibition
In celebration of Baltic Heritage Month, SLA Art Space is pleased to present ROO-PINTO-YAY-LIAI, the first solo exhibition by artist Dr. GoraParasit.
September 4th – October 15th, 2026
Curated by Audra Maciunaite.
A Rūpintojėlis (pronounced: ROO-PINTO-YAY-LIAI) is a small, traditionally wooden figure of pagan origin found throughout Lithuania—resting inside homes, at quiet crossroads, in open fields, and embedded within the trunks of living trees. It stems from a country that held onto its old gods longer than any other in Europe.
Traditionally depicted as a seated man on a stump or stone with his head propped on one hand, the word is built from rūpintis (to worry, and also to take care of). The ending -ėlis is a diminutive Lithuanian suffix for things that are warm, personal, cute, small, and deeply loved. Historically, the Rūpintojėlis was believed to be a protective guardian keeping all misfortunes at a distance.
In Dr. GoraParasit’s past bodies of work, there have always been assigned heroes, meticulously built by the artist "from the skin out." This landmark exhibition gathers many of these iconic figures, newly cast into intricate woven pieces.
As she immigrated from Lithuania to America, these characters traveled alongside her—forming an artistic company she intimately calls the community of her ROO-PINTO-YAY-LIAI.
About the Artist
Dr. GoraParasit (Gintarė Minelgaitė Duchin) is a Lithuanian interdisciplinary artist and director.
Born in Kaunas in 1984, she originally trained at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. She later expanded her practice to London, studying design at the Sir John Cass Department of Art, Architecture and Design while simultaneously refining her tactile skills as a professional bookbinder at Wyvern Bindery & Book Works. She holds an MA from the prestigious Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
The German theatre journal Theater der Zeit has highly celebrated her as "a border-walker between theatre and installation, opera and film.” Her acclaimed productions include the comic-strip opera Alfa, which earned the Golden Cross of the Stage—Lithuania's highest and most revered theatrical honor.
About SLA Art Space
Established in 2014 by Lithuanian Alliance of America, (SLA Art Space) is a Lithuanian cultural institution that is dedicated to creating and offering a wide range of cultural events including live performances, film screenings, panel discussions, and gallery exhibitions.
While the SLA Art Space mission is focused on the cultivation, presentation, and preservation of Lithuanian culture, it is equally determined to operate in a multicultural and inclusive manner, housing and promoting artists and performance events that fully reflect the cultural diversity of the New York City, inviting audiences of all ages and backgrounds to engage and share culture and art.
Event venue & nearby stays
SLA Art Space, 307 West 30th Street, New York, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.