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Last weekend, a sculpture "The Giant" crafted by Raimondas Kavaliauskas and Nerijus Ališauskas from Tauragė, Lithuania, came to life at the international festival of light art installations "The Bright Festival" in Brussels. This year, the festival attracted a crowd of half a million visitors, serving as a vibrant hub for artistic expression and cultural celebration. With Belgium currently holding the Presidency of the European Union in 2024, it welcomed local artists and cultural partners from Lithuania and other EU countries to partake in the festivities. The installation was presented to mark the 20th anniversary of Lithuania's accession to the European Union.

One of the most impressive installations at the 8th Brussels Light Festival, this Lithuanian work combines traditional folk art and modern technology. In the square in front of the European Parliament, a giant emerges from the ground, holding the sun in his hands, and presents three legends from ancient Baltic mythology: the Giant, the Nine-Horned Deer, and the helper of thunder god Perkūnas, the Blacksmith.

The six-metre-high wooden sculpture of the giant leaving the underworld to replace the sun has been brought to life with the help of animated 3D and 2D elements, light projectors, and the original music and sound effects of composer Aurimas Vilkišius. The English-spoken giant told the festival guests about the sun being forged by Perkūnas’s helper and the battle that takes place every year between good and evil, light and darkness.

More than 30 sculptures and light art installations were presented at The Bright Festival in Brussels this year. Artists from Belgium, France, Germany, the Czech Republic, Estonia, and other countries presented their works. The organisers invited visitors to rediscover the Royal and European Institutions districts, which were the focus of the festival's two routes. The festival programme was accompanied by various events, tours, and artist performances.

The idea for the work "The Giant" was conceived by Raimondas Kavaliauskas, the sculptor was Nerijus Alšauskas, and the composer was Aurimas Vilkišius. The sculpture was presented for the first time in Tauragė.

The installation was implemented in cooperation with the Vilnius Light Festival and the Lithuanian Culture Institute.