Art today 2016-07-11
Referring to the story The Happy Prince by the Irish writer and poet Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde (1854–1900), the author of the article converses with the ethnologist, researcher of various cultural aspects, doctor of humanities, lecturer of Vytautas Magnus University, expert and coordinator of many cultural projects Giedre Barkauskaite about art today.
Ideas for monuments commemorating Antanas Smetona and Jonas Basanavičius 2016-04-27
Lithuanian government has foreseen many measures in the commemoration program of the hundredth anniversary of Lithuanian state restoration. The program was approved by the government in the resolution of 2015, August 19. Among the measures there are plans to build monuments in Vilnius for Jonas Basanavičius and Antanas Smetona. I would like to say a word concerning the monuments, the building of which, according to the President Dalia Grybauskaitė is "the matter of our honor."
Local spirit hovering in Kaunas 2016-04-08
The image of the city is shaped by a variety of symbols - such as architectural buildings or public city spaces: parks, cafes, restaurants, cultural sites. However, such material objects acquire meaning and a special atmosphere only because of the local population. In other words, these objects are provided with special meaning by genius loci.
Jacques Lipchitz: from the cult object to the image 2016-02-25
It would be wrong to assume that J. Lipchitz’s sculpture is sacred. Religious base in the sculptor's works and life lies not on the level of themes and scenes, but in the underlying creative conception. Sculpture is perceived as an object, therefore it never becomes an image, because this matter hides, Parisian speaking, inspiration and muses and when thinking religiously - order, work and creativity.
Jonava - European Capital of Culture in 2022. Why? 2016-02-15
If there is a wish to build Bilbao then it should not be built in Vilnius, neither in Kaunas nor Klaipėda. It should be built in Tauragė, Mažeikiai or Alytus. If such show-off fiesta exists - and it sure does and is very lively - it should at least bring benefits to the place where they are needed most. For Jonava!
The Lithuanianness of Fluxus 2016-02-01
Fluxus is an "ancient" craft mastery. Its forms - the life of artists, performances and ready-made objects - were in line with the rules set by the pioneer of this old-fashionedly new "craft" Jurgis Mačiūnas. Lithuanian farmer's environment is art as craft till modernization and Fluxus is a reminiscence of the traditional Lithuanian village order and a refusal to modernize, resisting the four centuries of European art tradition.
Let's bring the goldsmiths back into the heart of Kaunas 2016-01-26
Recently I wrote about the "pen architecture" in the Old Town of Kaunas. It is a way to drive out the goldsmith without the right to return, forcing him to move to Dainava or Šilainiai district and in doing so to lose the largest part of value of the city created over centuries. Therefore, I greatly rejoiced after reading that the building of the old horse post station should be turned into offices and that the Communications' Museum operating there will seize to exist. I have nothing against the museum, but experiencing the phenomenon, when the historical parts of the city are turned into "skansens" for eating and drinking, the 15 programmers working in that building will appear to be true goldsmiths.
Reflections on the unrelated issues 2015-12-28
Eternity is good if it fits the moment and vice versa. That is what our recklessly westernized society lacks. Pausing, taking a breath and reflecting. Meanwhile now, we have a modular principle of operation, when we apply clichéd solutions for unique situations.
Pen society surrounded by pen architecture 2015-12-08
I am not criticizing the occurrence of pen in the Old Town. However, I am worried about the award given to this building by the Ministry of Environment for the best architecture, which in a sense, becomes the only reason that provides meaning for the existence of the pen.
Philotopic greetings 2015-11-23
The bravest and hardest wish is not to be afraid to disown yourself - to be without the relationship of the subject and the object; to view the world without any assessment of yourself and external reality. Rejection of subjectivity frees one from the dictatorship of ideology, blind following and criminal behavior against humanity.
