Povilas Ramanauskas: “Painting cannot die” 0
In brief: The young artist Povilas Ramanauskas walks in periphery of painting media and raises fundamental questions: what painting is and where its margins are? Painting is often the theme and the research object in works of the artist, his method of thinking and seeing. Searching for diverse possibilities of expression of painting, P. Ramanauskas often grants the form which is closer to objects or sculptures to works, and he encodes painting expression means conceptually: through materials, form, light, shadows and reflections, title. The conversation with P.Rmanauskas is about the limits of painting and its place in the context of contemporary art. The conversation takes place in the artist’s creative studio, with the background of Murcof’s music, which often accompanies the creative process of the artist.
The artist explains his method to use different forms of expression: photography, video art, object, installation, earth art. According to him, it was very interesting and useful to try out various techniques during the studies. Still, he states that painting is the most acceptable as a means of expression to him, and he has the most of experience in this visual expression. It is also interesting for the artist to discover what painting can be today or tomorrow.
Meanwhile, photography and video works usually serve as a tool for documentation to the artist. He has created several video works already, and one of them was shown in the media art festival Enter’10 at Šiauliai Art Gallery.
As for the works of P. Ramanauskas which balance between painting, object and/or sculpture, the artist explains that in this way he is researching painting itself. “I believe that painting has no borders in fact. I plan to open a solo exhibition this month. I analyse painting itself like in the work presented in Kaunas Biennial. I think that it is an endless theme as when one thinks about painting as media or artwork itself, painting is analysed by the philosophical and material aspect,” the artist speaks.
The artist is sure that painting will never die: “Painting occupies a really big and important place in contemporary art. Painting can absorb other medias and enrich the expression of painting, the context, concepts; still, it will remain painting. I believe that painting will not vanish as it renews, changes and adapts to the present day”.
