Mosquito - Icarus

The sculpture was created by Romualdas Kvintas (1953–2018) while he was studying at the State Art Institute. In the 1970s, sculptors explored the diversity of natural forms, drawing their inspiration from flowers, blossoms, fruit, and other biomorphic and zoomorphic motifs. This trend can be seen in the work of artists such as Šarūnas Šimulynas and Teodoras Kazimieras Valaitis. According to the sculptor’s wife, Eglė Kvintienė, at some point during his studies, Kvintas created figures that depicted insects transforming into people. During this period, he also gave his zoomorphic-allegorical sculptures double titles, referencing both physical and figurative planes of perception. For example, the sculpture Ants, depicting insects clinging to each other, had the alternative title Oarsmen. ‘Icarus also flew into the flame, like a mosquito,’ was the artist’s interpretation of his sculpture Mosquito-Icarus.* This piece features a stylised human figure, with elongated proportions and arms stretched upwards, and with the body divided into separate elements resembling the segments of an insect’s limbs. The sculpture is made of mahogany, one of the hardest woods. According to his wife, during his studies, Kvintas used to buy mahogany that was imported from Africa and sold by weight.

Text author Jurgita Ludavičienė

* From the author’s conversation with Eglė Kvintienė, Vilnius, 18 December 2023.

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album THE ART OF MATERIALS. Compiler and text author Jurgita Ludavičienė
© LATGA, Vilnius 2025

The sculpture was created by Romualdas Kvintas (1953–2018) while he was studying at the State Art Institute. In the 1970s, sculptors explored the diversity of natural forms, drawing their inspiration from flowers, blossoms, fruit, and other biomorphic and zoomorphic motifs. This trend can be seen in the work of artists such as Šarūnas Šimulynas and Teodoras Kazimieras Valaitis. According to the sculptor’s wife, Eglė Kvintienė, at some point during his studies, Kvintas created figures that depicted insects transforming into people. During this period, he also gave his zoomorphic-allegorical sculptures double titles, referencing both physical and figurative planes of perception. For example, the sculpture Ants, depicting insects clinging to each other, had the alternative title Oarsmen. ‘Icarus also flew into the flame, like a mosquito,’ was the artist’s interpretation of his sculpture Mosquito-Icarus.* This piece features a stylised human figure, with elongated proportions and arms stretched upwards, and with the body divided into separate elements resembling the segments of an insect’s limbs. The sculpture is made of mahogany, one of the hardest woods. According to his wife, during his studies, Kvintas used to buy mahogany that was imported from Africa and sold by weight.

Text author Jurgita Ludavičienė

* From the author’s conversation with Eglė Kvintienė, Vilnius, 18 December 2023.

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album THE ART OF MATERIALS. Compiler and text author Jurgita Ludavičienė
© LATGA, Vilnius 2025