Houses on P. Cvirkos Street

The painter Jonas Švažas (1925–1976) lived not far from P. Cvirkos (now Pamėnkalnio) Street, but it would be futile to look for any resemblance to the buildings of the street in this picture. The city and details of it are only important to the artist as an emotional impulse, an unexpected impression, and a strange combination of colours. The tall buildings on P. Cvirkos Street are aligned ominously with each other, squeezing the tight space of the picture. One side of the street is in shade, and the other is lit up by the low and heavy disc of the sun, with its reflection still glinting on the walls of the houses. The city unexpectedly becomes a setting for a performance, a stage for a play, in which there are no actors. Only the closed space, the grim evening contrasts, the brown sky and the sun foretell the tragic end of the performance.

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album VILNIUS. TOPOPHILIA I (2014). Compiler and author Laima Laučkaitė
© LATGA, Vilnius 2024

The painter Jonas Švažas (1925–1976) lived not far from P. Cvirkos (now Pamėnkalnio) Street, but it would be futile to look for any resemblance to the buildings of the street in this picture. The city and details of it are only important to the artist as an emotional impulse, an unexpected impression, and a strange combination of colours. The tall buildings on P. Cvirkos Street are aligned ominously with each other, squeezing the tight space of the picture. One side of the street is in shade, and the other is lit up by the low and heavy disc of the sun, with its reflection still glinting on the walls of the houses. The city unexpectedly becomes a setting for a performance, a stage for a play, in which there are no actors. Only the closed space, the grim evening contrasts, the brown sky and the sun foretell the tragic end of the performance.

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album VILNIUS. TOPOPHILIA I (2014). Compiler and author Laima Laučkaitė
© LATGA, Vilnius 2024