The transformation of art is not only about the creator — sekunde.lt

Even under the vaults of two art spaces in Panevěž (the Art Gallery and the Photography Gallery), the exhibition “Aukštaitija Art” uniting artists from across Aukštaitija could barely fit.

The biennial exhibition has been held since 2006 to record the evolution of local art and to shed light on the direction in which Aukštaitija art is moving. However, the theme chosen by the organizers this time, “Transformation”, allows not only the audience but also the authors from the country to see their creative path.
This year, four dozen writers associated with Aukštaitija participated in the exhibition.
All artists present two works each: one that marks the beginning of the creative phase, when the artist already identifies himself as a creator, and another that was created in the last few years but has not yet been exhibited in Panevěž.
“This year’s theme “Metamorphosis” explores how an artist’s creative expression changes: from a creator who is just warming up to a writer who is in most cases already formed in the context of the Aukštaitija region”, the curator said. The exhibition is curated by art critic Aurelija Seilienė.
Young writers have also found their place in the exhibition, and although their creative metamorphosis is not yet so obvious, their works are often separated by a few years.
Some artists submit works that do not even reflect who the creator is, and are only in the creative exploration stage. Some try to find more iconic works from which the author can be recognized.
According to the curator, there have been several cases where the artists who decided to participate in the exhibition could not find their first works. Some pulled them out of the attic, others looked for them among friends, and still others had to borrow them from the museums that bought them.
None of the exhibits in the exhibition are also time-stamped. They are viewed not only as a work of art but also as a historical artifact.

The contrast is surprising

“In the exhibition we can see the creative metamorphosis of Aukštaitia artists, works from different eras, we can compare them, look for similarities, see differences, assess which work – old or current, the style developed by the author – is more impressive. The exhibition is not intended to present the best works of the artists, but in a sense an artistic research”, says A. Seilienė.
The contrast in the work of more than one writer is striking and surprising.
The exhibition curator said there is no need to expect the work to remain unchanged – after all, the artist himself changes over time.

Please read the full article in the newspaper Sekundės of Friday, June 28. Subscribe at https://prenumerata.sekunde.lt/ – also available in PDF format.