Unexpected Challenges for Contemporary Artists: Why Stasys Eidrigevičius’ Exhibition in Japan Was Stopped Due to 5 kg of Soil

There are various situations where artists, creators, or travelers encounter unexpected restrictions regarding what can be brought into foreign countries and what cannot. However, sometimes bizarre cases occur, as happened with contemporary art. One such story involved the well-known Lithuanian artist Stasys Eidrigevičius.

Unexpected Challenges for Stasys Eidrigevičius

Contemporary art exhibits can vary widely, ranging from traditional paintings to various installations. Artists aiming to express their creativity not only through art techniques but also through different materials that can give their works added meaning may face unexpected challenges when organizing their exhibitions abroad. This is exactly what happened to the internationally renowned Lithuanian artist Stasys Eidrigevičius.

His artworks titled “Liūdesėliai,” which were planned to be exhibited in Japan in 1991, encountered strict phytosanitary regulations. In the artist’s works, which depict emotional faces drawn with pastels and made from wood fiber boards surrounded by tree roots, a surprising five kilograms of soil were discovered. According to Japanese regulations, such materials cannot be imported into the country as they pose a risk to local flora. “Stasys Eidrigevičius’ ‘Liūdesėliai’ symbolize the unbreakable connection between humans and nature. The artist created these remarkable works in 1989-1990 during Lithuania’s reform and revival movements. While walking in the forests, Stasys found uprooted little trees and decided to give them new life. Thus, these ‘Liūdesėliai’ were born, which were set to travel to an exhibition in Japan in 1991 but faced strict customs checks at the airport. The artist was surprised that the transport of the artworks from the airport to the exhibition was halted because five kilograms of soil were found in the tree roots,” says Lina Albrikienė, curator of exhibitions at Stasys Museum.

According to her, the Japanese strictly adhere to the rules. The artworks could only continue their journey if the soil was properly removed, so museum specialists had to clean the soil upon arrival. This was a complicated and unexpected process. Ultimately, the soil was removed and incinerated, and the exhibition went ahead as planned.

Plant Health is a Shared Responsibility

Japan is not the only country that seeks to protect its ecosystem from potential threats to plant health through various restrictions.

“Phytosanitary requirements exist throughout the European Union and in other countries. They are established to protect local vegetation from pests and diseases. These rules apply not only to artists but to all travelers. A seemingly harmless act—bringing back unfamiliar plants from trips—can actually unintentionally carry pests and diseases, especially those not yet identified in Lithuania. Such a careless attitude can have serious consequences and cause significant harm to the country’s economy and ecosystem,” explains Simonas Pusvaškis, acting director of the State Plant Protection Service under the Ministry of Agriculture.

He urges people not to forget that these pests can be stopped, but everyone must be aware and know what can and cannot be brought back.

What You Need to Know

The head of the State Plant Protection Service says that when traveling outside the EU, it’s crucial to know what restrictions exist for bringing goods from third countries.

“We emphasize that when bringing or ordering plants (plant seeds and seedlings, cut flowers and potted plants, fresh fruits, vegetables, etc.) from non-European Union countries, a phytosanitary certificate (document confirming plant health) issued by the national plant protection organization of the exporting country is required. Without this document, only pineapples, coconuts, durians, bananas, and dates can be imported,” he assures.

He also adds that travelers should be aware that the same phytosanitary requirements apply to personal plant imports from third countries (i.e., any country outside the European Union) as they do to commercial shipments.

“It is important to understand that the purpose or quantity of plants is not relevant to quarantine pests. Not without reason, travelers’ luggage is considered one of the threats to plant health and a potential pathway for the spread of new pests.”