JOLANTA KYZIKAITĖ’S EXHIBITION „MASQUERADE“

Jolanta Kyzikaitė’s painting exhibition “Masquerade” will be exhibited at the Exhibition Hall of Klaipėda Culture Communication Centre (KCCC) (2 Didžioji Vandens St., Klaipėda)  since 4 pm Friday, 7th May, 2021

For almost a decade Jolanta Kyzikaitė has been developing the theme of games in her creation works – from the depiction of various children’s games in her works to the game of painting itself, in the form of painting. By choosing and analyzing the game “Hunting”, where disguises and animals operate and the player tricks and imitates various animals, even in her early works Jolanta reveals the theme of carnival, “fur change”, disguises and masks. Dressing up, incarnating into animals or other characters is one of the most popular childhood games, where the rules are only instinctive or invented in the course of the game, depending on whether you are an animal or a hunter.


Jolanta Kyzikaitė „Once upon a time“,
acriloc on canva., 2021

In her paintings J. Kyzikaitė not only depicts the world of her fantasies or, more precisely, the reality conveyed through the artist’s vision, but also masterfully involves the viewer, the visitor, who becomes an equal player, guided by intuition and creating the rules of the game.

The painter has invited us to play more than once: in the exhibition  “My (Art) Games”, of the year 2014 she offered viewers two ways of reading the paintings. In the exhibition “ Dice Painting ” in 2018, she created works by throwing dice, which influenced the plot of the painting. In the exhibition at Trakai Vokė Manor she invited to an endless fabulous feast, where she was a princess, the main culprit and hunter of the feast-exhibition, while extending the work “Royal Hunt” by shooting paint with a bow at the parrots depicted there.


Jolanta Kyzikaitė „Happy day“,
acriloc on canva., 2021

At the time being J. Kyzikaitė is inviting us to the “Masquerade”, the participants of which, that is the visitors of the exhibition, will be wearing masks as befits a masquerade. Although the lock down mood is not the most positive one, Jolanta Kyzikaitė once again uses irony, gives the meaning to the place, time and invites to play, participate in the feast and empathize into the event. In the works we will see forest, domestic and exotic animals, as well as people and their various masks: joy, sadness, anger and fear. It seems that the artist easily allows each of us to try on animal emotions (masks). The paradox is that visitors will wear masks to protect themselves from the virus, but it is clear that the artist’s goal in this exhibition is to divert attention from the reality and to empathize with the atmosphere of the party.

According to the author of the exhibition, “it is not necessary to depict masks in painting to reveal a relationship. I am interested in the situation itself, I want to find out how physical (due to a mask or self-isolation) closure from the public affects relationships with people and the environment around us. While analysing the present, I try to see the future. I am interested not only in the mask, but also in what lies under it. The word “under“ itself refers not only to a particular place (under a stone, under a mask) but also to time (after the lock down, after a financial crisis). The relationship between the place and time is more important than ever”.


Jolanta Kyzikaitė „Search for a new fur“,
acriloc on canva., 2021

Art critic Sonata Baliuckaitė, analyzing J. Kyzikaitė‘s creative works, emphasizes the relevance of the topics chosen by the artist: “Jolanta Kyzikaitė’s graphic paintings are close to pop art stylistics, the characters are animated characters, mystical, exotic animals, today’s heroes or herself. Recently, however, the painter has played with the painting form itself, relocating and constructing situations. The painted fairly flat image looks like a decorative rug, and the ultra-modern, large-format works are like luxurious baroque tapestries,“ says the art critic.

“Jolanta Kyzikatė’s works will not be mixed with anyone else‘s, her individual style was formed at the beginning of her studies. Large format, graphic drawing, stylized human figures, masks. The artist works in cycles, analyzing each series of her paintings. It would seem that she touches on the social and political issues of the time. But going a decade back, you see that these are simply co-human and eternal issues that are important to the creator herself at the time, as well as to any person who is sensitive to the environment. Her works analyse the themes of emigration, violence, rituals, rites, fear, the nature of laughter, the status of an artist or other not very pleasant topics. However, bright colours, decorative black line, theatrical details, mystified fabulous plots turn the paintings into a prop, that is unreal world; the paintings, their stories seem to be covered with masks, and their understanding depends on the viewer’s experience, for example, a child will see the works completely differently than an adult, ”writes S. Baliuckaitė.


Jolanta Kyzikaitė „Holiday“,
acriloc on canva., 2021

Jolanta Kyzikaitė (b. 1980) has been actively participating on the stage of art since the year 2003, and her creation works have been presented in ten author’s exhibitions and more than 60 joint exhibitions in Lithuania and abroad. In 2010 Jolanta Kyzikaitė became the 1st place winner of the Young Painter’s Prize competition, in 2018 she was awarded a doctoral degree in arts. The artist actively participates in Artist in Residence programs. For ten years now, the gallery “Meno niša (Art Niche)”, which represents the work of Jolanta Kyzikaitė, has been presenting it at art fairs in Vienna, Budapest, Cologne, Moscow, Paris, Brussels and Vilnius. Jolanta Kyzikaitė’s works have been acquired by the MO Museum, the Lewben Art Foundation, Walter Bischoff Museum in Germany and private collectors.

 The exhibition has been organized by Vilnius City Hall, the project is financed by the Lithuanian Culture Council.

The exhibition will run until 6th June 2021.

KCCC Exhibition Hall (2 Didžioji Vandens St., Klaipėda) working hours: Wednesday – Sunday 11 am – 7 pm. (closed on public holidays).

In case of the lock down restrictions, it is necessary for the visitors of KCCC Exhibition Hall to comply with certain requirements: to purchase tickets online at tiketa.lt or paying by a bank card at the cash desk of the Exhibition Hall. Everyone older than 6 years of age should wear a mask to protect the mouth and nose and to disinfect the hands. A distance of 2 meters should be observed in the exhibition halls. Visitors are admitted in groups of no more than two people (this restriction does not apply to families).