2024
The origins of “The Little Hungry Ones” can be traced back to the Lithuanian folk art tradition of The Sorrowful (Lith. Rūpintojėlis) carvings. By incorporating certain principles of deity representation from folk art, Tauras Kensminas introduces a new “god” tailored to address contemporary needs. Indifferent to everything, blind and deaf, constantly hungry, and eager to devour more and more – the “god” of the capitalist world emerges. Some scholars of folk art suggest that the image of The Sorrowful existed in Lithuania even before the introduction of Christianity. It was only in the 18th and 19th centuries after Christian views became established in the secular world of rural people, that it began to be associated with the image of Christ. Thus, as religion evolves, so does the visage of The Sorrowful. In contemplating today’s global events, with the world teetering on the brink of a potential third world war, it appears that we are moving closer to the realisation of the concept of the “indifferent god” as described by the writer Kurt Vonnegut in the novel Sirens of Titan. However, it is crucial to note that the work should not be interpreted as a critique of religion or a specific social class. Instead, it serves as a universally human invitation to reflect on how much of “The Little Hungry One” each of us harbours within ourselves. Living in today’s world, resisting the allure of overconsumption and chronic destruction proves to be an exceptionally challenging endeavour.
