Spread Wings of Tradition 0

Milda Gasiūnaitė
www.kamane.lt, 2014-09-17
J. Klemkienė. “Onutė and Jonukas”. 1967, linocut, 60 x 49.

In brief: This year the 91st birth anniversary of the well-known Lithuanian artist of elder generation Jadvyga Mozūraitė-Klemkienė (1923–2009) and 90th birth anniversary of Vytautas Klemka (1924–1991) is marked. On this occasion the exhibition “Spread Wings of Tradition: Creative Work of Jadvyga Mozūraitė-Klemkienė and Vytautas Klemka” was opened at Kaunas Picture Gallery of the National M.K.Čiurlionis Art Museum.

Abundant creative heritage of Klemkai is stored in the collections of the National M.K.Čiurlionis Art Museum; therefore, the museum has a possibility to present the retrospective of Jadvyga Mozūraitė-Klemkienė and Vytautas Klemka collected from 1958 to 2012: the most mature works as well as works that are not so well known to the public, which reveal the creative searches of the artists.

Jadvyga Mozūraitė-Klemkienė received the rudiments of sculpture from her lecturers J. Mikėnas, B. Pundzius, J. Kėdainis and V. Palys, still, she remained loyal to the tradition of sculpture of J. Mikėnas and created her own original style. The lecturer  planted the love to Lithuanian folk and antique art to the young sculptor.

Laconic, monumental and generalised forms full of female tenderness are typical of works of J. Mozūraitė-Klemkienė. The main theme explored by the sculptor throughout the entire period of creative work is the woman.

The artist has created characteristic portraits of famous people, figure and abstract compositions, graphic prints. The best works created by the artist in the period of 60 years are presented in the exhibition.

Meanwhile, the artist Vytautas Klemka left the most prominent trace in the field of graphic art. V. Klemka was not indifferent about tradition and the predominating linocut technique. In the middle of the seventh decade the artist started exploring the subtleties of aquatint, dry point technique. Monumental sheets and contrasting engravings were replaced by transparent aqua fortises, dry point works enriched with silver shades of aquatint.

Searching for deeper philosophical layers, V. Klemka employed the language of symbols, metaphors and allegories. V. Klemka immortalised a number of like-minded people, culture activists and Lithuanian artists who were famous once in his graphic works.

Vytautas Klemka was always interested in watercolour. He created watercolours the most intensively at the beginning and end of this creative road. Therefore, the exhibition also presents watercolours created by the artist in the sixth and ninth decade. The artist continued and enriched the tradition of creation of his indirect teacher Kajetonas Sklėrius in these works. Watercolours of the artist are transparent, with free strokes and wide gamma of colours.

The exhibition of works of Jadvyga Mozūraitė-Klemkienė and Vytautas Klemka is accompanied by the catalogue in which the most valuable works of the artists have been included.

The exhibition runs through September 28.

 

Photos from the collections of the National M. K. Čiurlionis Art Museum

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