IRMA LEŠČINSKAITĖ’S “MICRO-WORLDS: ABSTRACT IMAGES”

IRMA LEŠČINSKAITĖ

On the 19th of June, 2020, on Friday, at 6 p.m. at KCCC Exhibition Hall (Didžioji Vandens str. 2, Klaipėda) the creative exhibition ‘Micro-worlds: Abstract Images’ by Irma Leščinskaitė is opening.

In the cycles of painter Irma Leščinskaitė‘s works, the additional reality that has recently appeared in the exhibition “Micro-worlds: Abstract Images” is revealing itself with a new force. Miniatures painted in abstractions – micro-worlds with Jan Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring”, Van Gogh, M. Tyson, Kristijonas Donelaitis, Queen Louise, H. G. Gadamer, J. S. Bach and other historical personalities – meet rough objects, performing only direct functions in everyday life, therefore meaningful – construction scaffolds, metal bed, silicone rubber, rotting stump, etc. The paintings being in such surrounding are filled with an excess of aesthetic meaning.

According to the author, “such a meeting and contrast of two unrealities creates a path of non-existence. While creating an exhibition full of opposites, I. Leščinskaitė says that she seeks to draw attention to the prevailing current events in the life of a human and society: preservation of the natural living environment, cultural traditions and sustainable development of harmonious personal and social relationships. The author also emphasizes the respect for classical painting, giving a new sense to the meanings of historical and cultural objects / persons and realities represented in the paintings and thus bringing them closer to the modern viewer”.

“Constant self-reflection is a natural state of modern art and a necessary condition for its existence. Art can only survive if we rethink each time its self-defining relationship with reality and ones own place in it – when and how much it is still art, and when it no longer is and turns into something ELSE, or non-art. This is especially relevant now that the time has come for a huge change of the world and people’s lives. The exhibition must remind us that the art will not be able to avoid confrontation with returning non-sequestered experiences”, says I. Leščinskaitė.

The painter involves professionals from other fields into the creative experiment: architects Gerda Antanaitytė, Audrius Laurinaitis, composer Linas Rimša and others. With the help of software, I. Leščinskaitė creates abstract canvases in which the stories of painted miniatures come to life. Although painting, according to the author of the exhibition, has always been, is and will be the most important thing for her, the artist expands her field and experiments with the viewer’s emotional and visual hearing.

The exhibition will also feature Irma Leščinskaitė’s and Zita Tallat-Kelpšaitė’s video project “Seasons”, dedicated to Kristijonas Donelaitis, whose 240th anniversary of death will be celebrated this year. This project participated in the international poetry festival POESTATE. Due to the pandemic, the festival was moved to a virtual space this year, with works submitted by more than 50 participants from around the world.

“Seasons” won one of the 5 prizes of the festival. Arminio Sciolli, the owner of the Leonardo da Vinci Art Gallery “il Rivellino” in Locarno, fosterer of cultural relations of Switzerland and Lithuania, organizer of art events, who organized an impressive event “10 days in Lithuania” in 2018 In Locarno, Switzerland, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Lithuania’s independence, also arrived to Lithuania to greet the author and will take part in the opening of the exhibition.

About the author

Irma Leščinskaitė (born in 1970) studied painting at the Vilnius Academy of Arts, acquired Bachelor of Arts, Master’s and Art Licentiate degrees. In 1996 she did an internship in Austria with artists Nancy Spero and Leon Golub. She is a member of Lithuanian Artists’ Association, Docent of the Vilnius Academy of Arts, Klaipėda Faculty and she has been granted the status of art creator. Lives and creates in Klaipėda.

The author has organized 31 personal exhibitions, participated in 104 joint paintings exhibitions, art projects: in Lithuania, Austria, USA, Italy, Russia, Iceland, Switzerland, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Germany, Denmark, Poland, Sweden, Finland, Latvia. The artist was given art scholarships of George Soros, Kunstlerhaus Lukas, Lithuanian Council for Culture and Klaipeda city municipality.

Exhibition sponsors: Klaipėda city municipality, ‘HoPro‘, MB, Brolis Semiconductors, UAB.

The exhibition will be opened until the 19th of July, 2020.

KCCC Exhibition Hall (Didžioji Vandens str. 2, Klaipėda) working hours: Wednesday – Sunday 11 AM -7 PM (closed on public holidays).

The visitors are advised to follow the personal safety requirements: wear protective masks or other face protection. Safe physical distance and hand hygiene must be maintained.

The event will be photographed and filmed, therefore, we would like to inform that the visitors may be seen in the pictures and video recordings from the event, and that these photographs and video recordings may be made public on social media or the press.