Romualdas Čarna: “Technique is only a possibility for expression of ideas” 0

Prepared by Eglė Valionytė
www.kamane.lt, 2013-10-03

In brief: Purity of idea, harmony, poetic flight and depth – these are the most important categories in creation of the graphic artist Romualdas Čarna. The endless layers of nature, culture and history are the sources of creation for the artist. Layers of music, poetry and theatre intertwine in graphic plates of R. Čarna. The most diverse types and characters: from mythical creatures to harlequins may be found in his works.

R. Čarna has travelled many countries of the world as well as many corners of Lithuania. The artist values reality the most and searches for it in art and in life.

The conversation with R.Čarna about art, its essence and functions, trips and future plans takes place in the creative studio of the artist coloured by autumn sunset, where he has been creating for more than thirty years already.

"Old man from Alytus", 1973

When asked about feeling, emotion, spontaneity and rational knowledge of technique, the artist R. Čarna notices that “technique is a possibility for expression of ideas, it should serve only for that. Of course, technique should be of the highest level an artist can master as it is a tool to render the artistic thought. (…) Facture, rhythm of lines, harmony is important in graphic art. Art has its language and you have to feel it.”

As for artists inspiring him, R.Čarna mentions Rembrandt: “His portraits are very deep, I think nobody has surpassed him. He has painted very persuasive portraits of old ladies, Jews, his mother. The essential themes of the Bible reveal in works of Rembrandt. When you start looking at his works, you reach completely different spaces. Also, Japanese graphic art is close to me. It is very subtle and deep. I admire its rhythm, clean spiritual status.”

The artist is asked what is the most important in creation for him.

“In my opinion, rhythm is the most important in fine arts. You will not create a painting if you break rhythm and harmony. Rhythm is a mysterious thing – the composition moves and it becomes persuasive in some way. A painting is like a mechanism – if the spring is strained, it starts ticking,” the artist says.

The artist visited many places by a motorcycle in youth. “I remember I used to take paper and travel. You may reach narrow roads by a motorcycle, like with a bike. Trips connect you with the world. An artist also feels spent, he/she needs some new impressions. I’ll put it in a primitive manner – like the cow needs hay for the production of milk, creation also needs hay, hay of life. The artist has to absorb the world.”

 

Project ”Meetings in Artists’ Studios”

Head of the project Dovilė Stirbytė

 

Photos by Dovilė Stirbytė

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