KAUNAS GALLERY “MENO PARKAS” EXHIBITION “NOT A MUSEUM…” IN KLAIPEDA

2018 on January the 19th at 19 o‘clock in KCCC (Didžioji Vandens g. 2, Klaipėda) commences an opening of “Meno parkas” (Kaunas) exhibition called “Not a museum…”, it is dedicated to commemorate the 20 years’ anniversary.

In Kaunas, a gallery was opened twenty years ago which consistently focused its activity on spreading fine arts of Lithuanian and foreign artists. Nowadays, it is a well established gallery that is known not only in Lithuania, but in other countries as well. The main routes of its activities are concentrated not only in main cities of Lithuania, such as in Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai, Panevėžys, Jonava, Telšiai, Molėtai, Palanga, but in other internationally influential cities, such as Berlin, Venice, London, Warsaw, Porto, Barcelona, Tallinn, it also went as far as New York, Chicago and Singapore.

“Meno parkas” is one of the first galleries in Lithuania, which initiated a system of cooperation between foreign embassies and Centres of culture in Lithuania. Due to activity of an art project “Art line” (Meno linija), modern art creations of Lithuanian artists were presented in several prominent art forums, such as leading exhibition of Nimes modern art biennale, in the active project of Venice biennale 2017. The artwork of Lithuanian artists is displayed in the art museums of Hern, Dortmund, L‘Hospitalet, Kumu in Tallinn, and many others. The last year’s event was important for Lithuanian art as well. Lucian Benetton collector‘s fund (which has art collections from over 90 countries) acquired more than 140 small format artworks of Lithuanian artists.

“Art project” (Meno projektas) was the first project to emphasize the need for attention of the emerging young artists in Lithuania (project “The young ones. Green consciousness”). One of the most important “Art line’s” project is modern art festival “Kaunas in art” (“Kaunas mene”), that had participants from all over the world. Ministry of Culture approved “Kaunas in art” festival and set it as a festival that is continuous international even list for 2013–2015 and 2016–2018.

Participation in contemporary art fairs has an important meaning to the Gallery. Successful participation in modern art fairs in Italy, UK, Singapore, Germany, Switzerland, USA, and Hungary not only helped to pave the way into the larger modern art world, but it became an important stage of international recognition. For example, an art website “Artsy” had a series of articles dedicated to eight galleries, that were not in the main centres (London, New York, Berlin), one of which was Kaunas “Meno parkas”.

Creative programme of Union of Lithuanian Artists (ULA, or LDS – Lietuvos dailininkų sąjunga) has an important place and is being implemented in the Gallery’s activities. ULA members’ personal and group exhibitions are arranged in gallery’s spaces that is to be presented in foreign fairs’ projects, the Gallery partakes in organization of publishing activities (exhibitions, project catalogues, authors’ books, monographs, etc.)

Upon applying international practices of other galleries, “Meno parkas” has gathered a community of artists whose artwork’s creation and exhibition is of utmost importance. Today’s artists are of various age groups, i.e. the young, and the ones who already gained fame and credit: Aušra Andziulytė, National Art and Culture Award winner Robertas Antinis, Elena Balsiukaitė-Brazdžiūnienė, Milda Gailiūtė, National Art and Culture Award winner Jonas Gasiūnas (the award was given by „Meno parkas“), Patricija Gilytė, Greta Grendaitė, Marija Griniuk, Židrija Janušaitė, Jūratė Jarulytė, Agnė Jonkutė, Česlovas Lukenskas, Eimutis Markūnas, Julija Pociūtė, Povilas Ramanauskas, Rosanda Sorakaitė, Kaunas City Municipal Cultural and Art Prize winner Vaida Tamoševičiūtė (the award was given by „Meno parkas“), Eglė Ulčickaitė, Arūnas Vaitkūnas (1956–2005), Aušra Vaitkūnienė, Alfonsas Vilpišauskas (1945–2015), Tomas Vosylius. It is naturally understandable, that the Gallery’s “Not a museum..” anniversary exhibition is dedicated to artists’ works that were earlier displayed.

“Where do collectors and museulogists find objects of art, that usually enrich their collections?” If one takes into the account the international practices, usually, objects of art that are found in exhibitions, fairs, and other art projects. For example, “Art Basel” is such a project where collectors and their agents try to establish contact with other artists to gain their artworks in their own collections. However, there is a different situation in Lithuania. Even though Lithuania became highly modernized in several areas during its years of independence, we still lack in progress in the field of art and artwork popularization. Lithuanian artists try not to exhibit their artwork in certain institutions, they avoid using galleries and museum projects as their medium. It is rather unfortunate, because their artwork is harder to find for others who interested in it. A gallery is not a museum, but.. 22 Gallery artists’ artwork that is on the display can be added not only to one collection. Such artwork has its own history, every artist whose artwork is being displayed has a history of participation in different local and international projects, and their other forms of art are already in both public and private collectors’ hands. “Exhibition’s “Not a museum..” main idea is to show artists’ work for those, who regard art as an integral part of life”, said during a presentation of the exhibition by Arvydas Žalpys, the head of the gallery “Meno parkas”

This exhibition is a part of “Meno parkas. Twenty.” (Meno Parkas. Dvidešimt) Project under the supervision of “Meno parkas” gallery.

The project is partially financed by the Lithuanian Council for Culture, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania and the Kaunas City Municipal Program “Initiative for Kaunas” (Iniciatyva Kaunui).

 

The exhibition will be open till February 18th of 2018.

Ticket – 1,70 / 0,85 €.

KCCC Exhibition hall (Didžioji Vandens g. 2, Klaipėda) working hours are: from Wednesday till Sunday, 11:00 – 19:00 (not working on public holidays).