Uncle

When Lithuania regained Vilnius, fine art studies transferred to the capital and only applied art disciplines remained in Kaunas. One of the central figures at Kaunas Institute of Applied Art was Stasys Ušinskas, who preferred to call himself a decorator rather than a painter. His style had a clear influence on the artistic endeavours of his students. The early work of his student Kazys Varnelis (1917– 2010) is one example, as is the equally distinguished work by Ušinskas’ sister Filomena Ušinskaitė (1921–2003). In 1944, inspired by American Regionalism and by Grant Wood, Filomena portrayed her uncle, an émigré who had returned from the United States and whose life ended sadly in Soviet-occupied Lithuania.

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: "1918-1945 / Kaunas-Vilnius", 27 August 2020 – 21 August 2021, Lithuanian Art Centre TARTLE (Užupio St. 40, Vilnius). Curators Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė.

When Lithuania regained Vilnius, fine art studies transferred to the capital and only applied art disciplines remained in Kaunas. One of the central figures at Kaunas Institute of Applied Art was Stasys Ušinskas, who preferred to call himself a decorator rather than a painter. His style had a clear influence on the artistic endeavours of his students. The early work of his student Kazys Varnelis (1917– 2010) is one example, as is the equally distinguished work by Ušinskas’ sister Filomena Ušinskaitė (1921–2003). In 1944, inspired by American Regionalism and by Grant Wood, Filomena portrayed her uncle, an émigré who had returned from the United States and whose life ended sadly in Soviet-occupied Lithuania.

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: "1918-1945 / Kaunas-Vilnius", 27 August 2020 – 21 August 2021, Lithuanian Art Centre TARTLE (Užupio St. 40, Vilnius). Curators Dovilė Barcytė and Ieva Burbaitė.