The bather

The work and activities of Vytautas Kairiūkštis (1890–1961) were an important influence in shaping stylistic trends and spreading Modernism in the interwar years. His style differed significantly from the prevailing Neoclassicism, and was characterised by features of Cubism, Futurism, geometrical abstraction, primarily Constructivism, and a touch of Art Deco. It is not surprising that he was rather sceptical about the work of the artists who taught in the Faculty of Art at Stephen Báthory University, did not take part in exhibitions with local artists, and did not belong to their organisations. He was one of very few Vilnius-based artists who kept in close contact with Lithuania and Kaunas. He collaborated with the Keturi vėjai movement in the 1920s, and in 1931 he organised an exhibition of work by Vilnius-based Lithuanian artists in Kaunas, in which they presented abstract paintings with features of Cubism, Futurism and Constructivism, and photomontages.

As a painter, theorist, teacher and exhibition organiser, Kairiūkštis was closely connected with international art movements and avant-garde groups. In 1923, together with the Polish artist Władysław Strzemiński, he organised the first exhibition of avant-garde art, the Exhibition of New Art (Wystawa Nowej Sztuki), in the Corso Cinema in Vilnius, which was then part of Poland. In 1924, he became a member of the Polish avant- garde group Blok, and kept in touch with the Italian Futurists. Kairiūkštis’ participation in the life of the Lithuanian community in Vilnius was mainly through the drawing classes at the Vytautas the Great Gymnasium between 1922 and 1928.

Text authors Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album KAUNAS–VILNIUS / 1918–1945 (2021). Compilers and text authors Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė
Expositions: “Académie de Vilna. Vilnius Drawing School (1866–1915)”, 5 October – 26 November 2017, National Gallery of Art, Vilnius (curator Jolanta Širkaitė); "1918-1945 / Kaunas-Vilnius", 27 August 2020 – 21 August 2021, Lithuanian Art Centre TARTLE (Užupio St. 40, Vilnius). Curators Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė.

The work and activities of Vytautas Kairiūkštis (1890–1961) were an important influence in shaping stylistic trends and spreading Modernism in the interwar years. His style differed significantly from the prevailing Neoclassicism, and was characterised by features of Cubism, Futurism, geometrical abstraction, primarily Constructivism, and a touch of Art Deco. It is not surprising that he was rather sceptical about the work of the artists who taught in the Faculty of Art at Stephen Báthory University, did not take part in exhibitions with local artists, and did not belong to their organisations. He was one of very few Vilnius-based artists who kept in close contact with Lithuania and Kaunas. He collaborated with the Keturi vėjai movement in the 1920s, and in 1931 he organised an exhibition of work by Vilnius-based Lithuanian artists in Kaunas, in which they presented abstract paintings with features of Cubism, Futurism and Constructivism, and photomontages.

As a painter, theorist, teacher and exhibition organiser, Kairiūkštis was closely connected with international art movements and avant-garde groups. In 1923, together with the Polish artist Władysław Strzemiński, he organised the first exhibition of avant-garde art, the Exhibition of New Art (Wystawa Nowej Sztuki), in the Corso Cinema in Vilnius, which was then part of Poland. In 1924, he became a member of the Polish avant- garde group Blok, and kept in touch with the Italian Futurists. Kairiūkštis’ participation in the life of the Lithuanian community in Vilnius was mainly through the drawing classes at the Vytautas the Great Gymnasium between 1922 and 1928.

Text authors Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album KAUNAS–VILNIUS / 1918–1945 (2021). Compilers and text authors Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė
Expositions: “Académie de Vilna. Vilnius Drawing School (1866–1915)”, 5 October – 26 November 2017, National Gallery of Art, Vilnius (curator Jolanta Širkaitė); "1918-1945 / Kaunas-Vilnius", 27 August 2020 – 21 August 2021, Lithuanian Art Centre TARTLE (Užupio St. 40, Vilnius). Curators Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė.