Aušra Vaitkūnienė “Song of the Forest”

On July 6, at 2 p.m. Aušra Vaitkūnienė’s exhibition “Song of the Forest” opens in Marcinkonių station gallery. This is a visual story about Dzūkija, about its unique nature. The exhibition presents an installation of paintings and objects, metaphorically conveying not only the beauty of nature, but also the brutal struggle for existence. The works presented to the viewer do not formally cause anxiety, but by making connections with each other in the exhibition, they activate thinking about the current issues of nature conservation and ecology. 

Dzūkija people used to sing while walking in the forest. This is a disappearing tradition, when man and nature were one. In the modern world, there is an ever-increasing separation, people no longer know the names of herbs, they no longer distinguish between types of mushrooms. What used to be taken for granted when entering the forest, now seems difficult to grasp while surrounded by nature without specially designed mobile apps. The exhibition “Song of the Forest”, after choosing a musical term, sings in a plastic language, presents works that, with a certain rhythm, nostalgically, ironically or jokingly, create an atmosphere in which the viewer will not only recognize the existence of the forest, but also think about his connection with nature. 

Aušra Vaitkūnienė is an artist, pedagogue, curator, head of the Department of Painting, Kaunas Faculty of Vilnius Academy of Arts, professor. The artist actively creates and participates in projects and exhibitions in Chicago, Berlin, Hamburg, Budapest, Barcelona and elsewhere. Although A. Vaitkūnienė prefers painting, she also works successfully in the fields of installations and object art. 

The exhibition will be open from July 6 to 28. The exhibition can be visited on Saturdays – Sundays, 12:00 – 17:00, or by appointment by phone. +37061416255. 

Address: Marcinkonys station gallery, Kastinio st. 1C, Marcinkonys, Varėna sav. 

The exhibition is organized by “Verpėjos”, financed by the Lithuanian Council of Culture.