X YPP Book

Interview 170
• Painting? Why? Was there a pivotal moment when you decided to follow your
path as an artist? (how did this media appear on your creative road, why is it?)
Visual arts, and most importantly painting, appeared in my life in my childhood.
It happened, I would say, organically, because my parents always had a ceramic
workshop at home where I was a frequent guest. I constantly found out what
to do there - whether to mold, or to paint with glazes. In fifth grade I entered
Kaunas Art School on my own initiative, which allowed me to continue on this
path. Painting has become the preferred form of expression, this media allows
me to control the surface while leaving space for a chance. At the same time, the
painted image is like a fiction and a window to another reality. Real - world rules
do not apply in this space, and the symbols appearing in it speak in indirect,
multi-language. Painting is like a medium that you can see but can not physically
appear in it.
• Who inspires you? What is your greatest indulgence in life? (personality, context,
etc.)
I archive personal photos which helps me to remember events and admire frozen
moments of life. Photographies come from a directly accessible documented
reality, but by converting them into painting, one can talk fictitiously,
symbolically, create new narratives, stories and images about reality. Those who
are portrayed in photographies can act as actors here for new scenes, letting the
author direct the painting and speak on relevant themes.
The history of art and its “weight“ is also my source of inspiration. I always try to
wonder how my painting (or any form of artwork) will interfere with the overall
context of the art history (modern or classical paintings) and what kind of
message it will bring: whether it is new, or perhaps old message, but a rethought.
New inspirations also come at night. Sometimes I experience insomnia, in which
my thoughts are more focused and sharped than usual, and this intuitively brings
images that relate to issues of concern at that time.
• Main motive. (Who are your most interested in your work? What topics do you
consider in your work)
This particular painting „The Female Painter (Self – Portrait)“ is about being a
woman painter nowadays. It is ironical view of perception of a woman as an
artist. I took a self portrait from personal photography and converted it into
theatrical image. Painting lets me change the context of primary photography for
expressing my position and attitude towards poor status of women artists (and
women in general).
---
My paintings are about changing reality of those who are depicted in
photographies. It is about constructing symbolic narratives on canvases, that
suggests new percepton and viewpoint.
• Can you tell us about the process of making your work? From what does it begin
and when does your artwork “end”?
I would say painting begins from studying the reality and in my mind. Then
comes the materialization process – sketches and drawings, photographies
(those personal and owned by me and the new ones if necessary) and
afterall – painting in my studio and directing new scenarios on canvases.
Preferably I work with the daylight from 3 pm till 11 pm with the lamp, observing
the painting in the both lights, because I have to check all the colors in various
kinds of lighting.
Artwork never „ends“ – it always expands itself while it is beeing observed and
interpreted by a viewer.
• Do you have moments in your life when you have been keen on the chosen artist’s
path? Have you ever had a moment when you questioned your career entirely? (if
so, who then returned you? Stopped?)
I developed a sincere passion for the painter profession although it was not an
easy path. Of course, there were moments in my life when I questioned it,
especialy while studying in Vilnius Academy of Arts Painting Department for six
years, but those were very momentary feelings I coped with.
• Are you interested in the art field of the Baltic region? (write your opinion on the
context of the Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian artistic field: differences,
similarities, advantages, aspirations, etc.)
I follow not only The Baltic States art scene, but also artists from all over the
world. In my opinion, we assimilated a bit and there is no clear distribution of
artists by locality and nationality. Of course, identity always plays an important
role of an artist (especially in biography and background), but the internet and
social networks such as „Instagram“ allow us to watch and communicate with
different genres artists from different locations. Still, I try to follow the most
prominent artists and major events of the neighbour countries (for example,
The Riga Biennale, The Baltic Triennial...).