Alex Gallery/Gallery A (Washington DC)
Arka Gallery (Vilnius, Lithuania)
Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania
Cordially invite you to
An Exhibition of Contemporary Lithuanian Fine Art
“LITHUANIAN SEASON”
Painting, Graphics, Sculpture
February 5 - March 31, 2010
Gallery A
2106 R St. NW
Washington, DC 20008
202.667.2599
www.alexgalleries.com
Opening Reception
Friday February 5
6:00-8:30pm
“LITHUANIAN SEASON”
On February 16 Lithuania will celebrate its Independence Day, proclaimed in 1918. This date has special significance to every Lithuanian around the world, wherever they may live. It is especially remarkable that shortly before this day, on February 5th, the exhibition of Lithuanian Art “Lithuanian Season” will be opened in the prestigious Alex Gallery/ Gallery A, the largest commercial art gallery in Washington, DC. The collection is presented by the Lithuanian Artist’s Association and Arka Gallery in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Mr. Victor Gaetan, founder and owner of Alex Gallery, started this impressive initiative, bringing the exhibition of American painters titled “Varieties of Landscape: Viewing Virginia Area Artists in Vilnius“, which was shown at the Arka Gallery in Vilnius and the Mykolas Zilinskas Art Gallery in Kaunas during the summer of 2009. The American exhibition enjoyed a huge success, and was enthusiastically accepted by the public, the media, and art collectors alike.
The “Lithuanian Season” exhibition shows creative works of thirty-three prominent Lithuanian artists and includes painting, graphics, sculpture, watercolour and installation pieces. The collection reflects the pluralism of ideas and depicts a wide range of modernist trends prevailing in Contemporary Lithuanian Art.
Intercepting traditions that have been shaped during the ages, reflecting the Lithuanian traditional world-view, and enriching it with their own experiences, Lithuanian artists are creating a metaphorical visual world, symbolic and rich in content.
Original interpretation of Lithuanian folk art is characteristic for paintings of Rimas Zigmas Bičiūnas and Jonas Daniliauskas. Works by Gintaras Palemonas Janonis and Jūratė Mitalienė focus on mythologizing the plot. Ironic implications are featuring the works of Aleksandras Vozbinas. The transformation of nature’s motifs is the sources of inspiration for Gražina Vitartaitė. One can view different aspects of expressive painting in the creative work of Romualdas Balinskas. A focus on drawing and details are typical for works by Algirdas Griškevičius and Vidmantas Jusionis. The oil paintings are successfully supplemented by the masterful watercolors by Ramunė Kmieliauskaitė and Eugenijus Nalevaika.
The collection of graphic works is not only characterised by stylistic but also by the technical diversity. Lithuanian graphic artists are using classical techniques and creating unique artistic images. Birutė Stančikaitė, Nijolė Šaltenytė and Tatjana Diščenko convey an associative, multi-plane space, highlighting it with detail made meaningful by its subtle shades and minute strokes. Lida Dubauskienė creates post-modernist stories full of symbols. Nijolė Vilutienė uses different techniques to underline the painting trends that enhance the feeling of space and rhythm conveyed through colour. Gerardas Šlektavičius, working in linocut technique, reveals various states of emotion which are dictated by nature. Jūratė Stauskaitė fascinates the spectator with the grace of the human body, achieved by her sensitive linear drawing. The realistic impressions of the disappearing Lithuanian village are the source of inspiration to Dovile Tomkute’s romantic landscapes. Jurgita Gerlikaitė uses digital images, combining them with traditional graphic technologies. Beautiful fans, works done from hand-made paper by Elvyra Katalina Kriaučiūnaitė show the ingenuity of the artists and popular new trends in Contemporary Lithuanian graphic art. Conceptuality is a feature of the silkscreens by Mikalojus Vilutis and digital prints and installation created by Saulius Valius and Diana Radavičiūtė. The highlights of the exhibition are the especially expressive prints by Vytautas Valius.
The collection of sculptures made from bronze, stone and wood demonstrates modern trends and traditions in Lithuanian small plastic art. In works by Tamara Janova and Arvydas Ališanka, much attention is given to the human figure and it’s transformation. Kęstutis Musteikis’ abstract shapes create a field of associations focusing on the rhythm, silhouette and texture of the material. Works by Audrius Liaudanskas and Stasys Juraška are outstanding for their ironic variation of the human existence.
The “Lithuanian Season” collection presents a great and exciting opportunity to search for parallels in creative processes and to speak about the unique culture of every country. The organizers sincerely hope that the visitors to the Alex Gallery / Gallery A will enjoy the exhibition and find it unusual and interesting. At the same time the exhibition will acquaint the American public with Lithuania and will contribute to the consolidation of our countries in creating the international cultural dialogue.
Rita Mikučionytė, Art Critic
Dovile Tomkute, Exhibition Curator
