Eimutis Markūnas "I was greatly impressed by reflections and translucent matter" 0

Gražina Montvidaitė
www.kamane.lt, 2015-03-05
"Radiation levels remain unchanged", 2011. HDF panel, graphite, acrylic, 183 x 285. Photo by Laimutis Brundza

In brief: Although Eimutis Markūnas finished monumental art studies and actively worked in this field for more than twenty years, he never identified himself with only one field. Artist, like an alchemist, always liked to mix various materials and techniques. We had a conversation about the activities of the group Viper, stained glass and implemented contemporary works of art.

For over ten years artist intensely made stained glass for various public interiors and churches. He explained why he chose this field of art "In my first year, I wanted to change direction - to move to painting, but my professor, a painter himself told me 'you will have a craft, and you will be able to paint also if you will feel like it.' And that is what happened. Stained glass fed my other works, guaranteed a certain freedom, financial independence, allowed me to work more freely in other fields of art, to creatively access other means of expression."

He says he stopped working with stained glass because the field of monumental art has become obsolete "New architecture requires different forms of decoration, a different technological approach and this process does not interest me that much, that is why, quite naturally I became interested and continue to do so, in other means of expression. But that does not mean I will stop working in this field completely. The doors are open and I will receive an interesting proposal - I will take it.

One of the surfaces that interest the artist is mirror. He says "It is much more than glass and slippery surface. It has mystical properties. I remember from my childhood, that when someone died people always cover mirrors and lamps with black fabric. Mirror is closely associated with otherworldly things. It reflects, like water and is interesting with its constantly changing surface, generated images and reflections. Sometimes I want to put all most important parts of life into my work and sometimes only a shadow that falls underwater.

Artist belongs to the art group Viper. He explains that the formation of the group was directly related to the political situation of the time. "We wanted to resist the nomenclature, the "leaven" of the party (Lithuanian Artists' Association) which was ideologically dictating art forms and contents.

    

This company was brought together by Jonas Gasiūnas. During 1990 - 1992, we were quite a few artists. Some of us were creating abstract works, others - figurative painting. I painted on tin, which surface interested me at the time. Participation in the group activities allowed me to, quite relatively, look for myself, shape a unique form of expression and to walk on my individual creative path."

Project "Meetings at the Artists’ Studios"

Manager Dovilė Stirbytė


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