Pietà
| Author: | Romas Viesulas (1918–1986) |
Romas Viesulas was a painter and graphic artist. He was born on 11 September 1918 in Gerdainiai, in the Lašai rural district of Alūšta in Latvia. He studied at the Lithuanian gymnasium in Riga until 1939, and moved to Vilnius in 1941, where he attended the Vilnius Dramatic Art Studio. He fled to Germany in 1944. He studied in Freiburg at the École des Arts et Métiers between 1947 and 1949, and from 1949 to 1950 he continued his studies at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He had a personal exhibition in Freiburg in 1951, and left for America. He settled in New York, and from 1960 he lectured at Temple University in Philadelphia, first as an associate professor, and from 1965 as a professor. Between 1964 and 1972, he lived and worked periodically in Spain and Italy. He moved to Europe in 1985 to head the Rome branch of Temple University, and was rector until his death.
Viesulas earned many American and international awards. In 1957 he won the Annual Prize of the Graphic Art Club of Philadelphia. In 1958, 1964 and 1969 he was granted Guggenheim Fellowships, in 1960 he won a Tamarind Fellowship, and in 1962 he won a Tiffany Fellowship. He held more than 50 solo exhibitions, and participated in group exhibitions in the USA, France, Germany, England, Australia, Mexico, Canada, and elsewhere. He was a versatile artist: he carved wood, made etchings and soft, velvety lithographs with melting lines, and illustrated books. He wrote for the press and lectured on Lithuanian art. He also published monographs on Telesforas Valius, who lived in Canada, and on M.K. Čiurlionis.
Viesulas’ graphic art, with its modernist form of expression, was distinguished by strong artistic impressions, associative and expressive images, and dynamic shapes. One of his most mature works was undoubtedly his 1970 Laments cycle, of 15 black relief sheets, consisting of dynamic abstract shapes and full of a painful longing for the homeland.
Source: Valiunas Ellex (LAWIN until 2015) art album: THE WORLD OF LANDSCAPES II (2013). Compiler and author Nijolė Tumėnienė.
Romas Viesulas was a painter and graphic artist. He was born on 11 September 1918 in Gerdainiai, in the Lašai rural district of Alūšta in Latvia. He studied at the Lithuanian gymnasium in Riga until 1939, and moved to Vilnius in 1941, where he attended the Vilnius Dramatic Art Studio. He fled to Germany in 1944. He studied in Freiburg at the École des Arts et Métiers between 1947 and 1949, and from 1949 to 1950 he continued his studies at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He had a personal exhibition in Freiburg in 1951, and left for America. He settled in New York, and from 1960 he lectured at Temple University in Philadelphia, first as an associate professor, and from 1965 as a professor. Between 1964 and 1972, he lived and worked periodically in Spain and Italy. He moved to Europe in 1985 to head the Rome branch of Temple University, and was rector until his death.
Viesulas earned many American and international awards. In 1957 he won the Annual Prize of the Graphic Art Club of Philadelphia. In 1958, 1964 and 1969 he was granted Guggenheim Fellowships, in 1960 he won a Tamarind Fellowship, and in 1962 he won a Tiffany Fellowship. He held more than 50 solo exhibitions, and participated in group exhibitions in the USA, France, Germany, England, Australia, Mexico, Canada, and elsewhere. He was a versatile artist: he carved wood, made etchings and soft, velvety lithographs with melting lines, and illustrated books. He wrote for the press and lectured on Lithuanian art. He also published monographs on Telesforas Valius, who lived in Canada, and on M.K. Čiurlionis.
Viesulas’ graphic art, with its modernist form of expression, was distinguished by strong artistic impressions, associative and expressive images, and dynamic shapes. One of his most mature works was undoubtedly his 1970 Laments cycle, of 15 black relief sheets, consisting of dynamic abstract shapes and full of a painful longing for the homeland.
Source: Valiunas Ellex (LAWIN until 2015) art album: THE WORLD OF LANDSCAPES II (2013). Compiler and author Nijolė Tumėnienė.
