In brief: The retrospective exhibition “Steps” of Alvydas Lukys is open at Kaunas Photography Gallery (Rotušės Sq. 1 / Vilniaus Str. 2, Kaunas). Milda Kiaušaitė conversed with the art photographer, lecturer, professor of Vilnius Academy of Arts during a coffee break while preparing for the exhibition.

The art photographer Alvydas Lukys revealed that this review exhibition was the second for him. The first “Impersonal Things” was organised at Šiauliai Exhibition Centre some ten years ago. The new retrospective is a little bit smaller but more concentrated. The photographer wanted to see how the method used by him was obvious to others.

When speaking about photographed things, the artist states that he still speaks about the man. “I think that the works that speak about things that are behind the view are better than the ones that speak about the pictured things. If a man is present in the view, I do not see him/her. I search for him/her behind the photograph. Objects I photograph have not been created by the man, therefore, I believe that the man is present behind all of them, behind the view,” A.Lukys explains.

The artist was asked about photographs of things cast on shore by the sea. His answer is the intention to think about the object or open punctum in words of Roland Barthes. “I called my method “decontextualisation” for the sake of new context. Things at the sea let me formulate what I started in the cycle “Metaphors”. The relation between the object and background was the most important there, while here I could see what happens when this relation is gone,” the artist speaks.

The photographer is also asked about the album “Past Continious” in which the phenomenon of déjà vu is analysed. A.Lukys states that the discovery of otherness in repeating things is the most important to him. “Let’s say all things are in one environment in the studio but they are different every time. I followed myself: when does the wish to take pictures appear? Usually it is something related with an image that exists in the memory already. A code you discover and repeat. This book is about the fact that a human being is an interesting animal whose commutative system depends on learning and cultural background.”

As for publication of albums, the renowned art photographer states that this game is not very close to him. The real space is more interesting to the artist. “Very often an art photographer showcases photographs meant for albums in exhibitions. I fear that the majority of my photographs would look like a complete nonsense in an album. They interact with space, architecture; interior is significant. Perhaps I am closer to painters and sculptors regarding this issue,” the photographer makes a conclusion.

Interlocutor Milda Kiaušaitė