“WORKS OF FRIENDSHIP” OF Ž.MIKŠYS AND R.G.MORDMÜLLER IN ŠIAULIAI 0

2010-11-08

Lina Vidūnaitė

www.kamane.lt , 2010 11 08

R.G.Mordmüller and E.Saladžius in the opening of the exhibition. Photo of V.Savičiūnaitė

Ž.Mikšys. R.G.Mordmüller. "Exlibris II". 1989

Ž.Mikšys. R.G.Mordmüller. "Audience IV." 1988

In the exhibition. Photo of A.Butkevičienė

The graphic exhibition “Works of Friendship” of two friends creating together: Žibuntas Mikšys (Paris) and Rainer Gotlib Mordmüller (Bremen) was opened at Šiauliai gallery Laiptai on the 5th of November.

R.G. Mordmüller participated in the opening of the exhibition. Kaunas graphic Edmundas Saladžius told about his friendship with Ž.Mikšys.

The catalogue of “Works of Friendship” published in Bremen was presented to visitors of the exhibition.

The exhibition open at Laiptai Gallery is formed of two parts: etchings and mixed-technique pieces of art of R.G. Mordmüller and the collection of joint creation of the artists, “Works of Friendship”.

R.G. Mordmüller and Ž.Mikšys started creating joint etchings in 1964, when they learned the aqua fortis technique in Paris Friedlaender Graphic Studio together. The unique creative cooperation of the two personalities lasts until now, for more than forty years already.

The friends discuss joint themes and ideas by exchanging letters, during telephone conversations and meetings in Germany or France, during the artists’ visits in museums, exhibitions and performances. They have been doing it until now, for forty years already.

The works are born in the process when two creators work at the same copper plates and send them to each other from Paris to Bremen so that another artist would continue the started work until one of the artists decides that the work is finished.

Graphic E.Saladžius: “The precise and laconic title of the exhibition of two artists reveals the unexpected method of creation, co-authorship. It is a rather rare phenomenon in practice of Lithuanian art. The works of Žibuntas are elegant etchings with fragile inserts of poetical texts. The figures of Rainer next to the Latin harmony of Žibuntas create the tune full of drama and tension.

Such a phenomenon may be born only from deep understanding of European cultures and principles of creation. The area of the Mediterranean Sea, the cradle of ancient cultures shines with harmony of form and content. It is an extremely valuable example at this time so complicated for culture, when art gains signs of deconstruction rather than reconstruction, and when the task of the evil spirit is to persuade a man that there is no honour, responsibility, belief any longer and that even the man himself is no longer important.

Žibuntas and Rainer demonstrate their concentration protecting the real values of European culture. This is the meaning and content of their joint works.”

Ž.Mikšys was born in Kaunas in 1923 and learned the first lessons of art here. Like many Lithuanian artists and intellectuals, he was forced to leave the native country during the war. After emigrating to Germany, he studied painting at Stuttgart Academy of Arts and created stained-glass works in New York. In 1962 he settled in Paris.

R.G. Mordmüller was born in Braunschweig in 1941. He studied painting and graphics at Berlin and Paris higher schools of art and lectured at Osnabrück University. At the moment he lives and works in Bremen and Paris.

The exhibition born from the creative cooperation of Ž.Mikšys and R.G. Mordmüller is a valuable example worth seeing at Laiptai Gallery in Šiauliai. The exhibition will be open until the 25th of November.


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