The Girl with the Stick

Vilmantas Marcinkevicius

Born in 1969, Kaunas, Lithuania, Vilmantas Marcinkevicius is one of the most prominent and memorable neo-expressionists not only in Lithuania, but also in North Europe, especially in Denmark.  His artistic style was shaped while studying at Vilnius Academy of Arts during the collapse of the Soviet Union. After finishing his studies, the artist and his works were soon noticed by art collectors from Denmark. Nowadays, his masterpieces are amongst the tops of Danish art market.

What traits of V. Marcinkevicius art distinguish him from others? First of all, the coloring of paintings is unconventional – his colors dare to speak boldly and clearly. Canvases are full of correlation of blue, yellow and green tones. These combinations directly affect viewer's emotions, yet bright paintings do not irritate, but spread optimism and positive energy. Another significant feature of V. Marcinkevicius art is the technique of painting. The artist is inclined to use oil and acrylic paints like watercolour so that canvases look transparent.

The art of V. Marcinkevicius is also famous for its contents. The fundamental subject of his expressive paintings is a human being. Through art, the painter depicts everyday life situations, where some are his personal experiences, whereas others are the response to today's world and its current affairs - politics, history, sexuality and art. A particular attention is dedicated to woman‘s figure. The woman is usually represented as sexualized, full of liveliness, but at the same time gross or vulgar. Figurative representations – with no excessive regard for anatomy – and the equally naive and simplified depictions of nature.

V. Marcinkevicius chooses the privilege of an artist to ask the viewer uncomfortable questions about the history of nation, state and individual, the price of political, economic and personal victories and losses. He invites the viewer to interpret the paintings using their own experience and point of view.

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

• First solo exhibition at Gallery Aidas, Vilnius, Lithuania, 1993;
• 7th Osaka Triennial - "Painting-96", MyDome, Osaka, Japan, 1996;
• Group exhibition – "Europe Today: Five Lithuanian Artists from Vilnius", Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedo , Bonn, Germany, 1997;
• Group exhibition – "Seven Artists from Nordic Artists' Centre Dale ", Dale, Norway, 1998;
• Participation in the International Art Fair – "Moscow ‘99", Central Art Hall, Moscow, Russia, 1999;
• Group exhibition – "Baltic Art", The National Arts Club , New York, USA, 2000;
• Group exhibition – "Art Copenhagen 2001", gallery NB, Copenhagen, Denmark, 2001;
• Participation in Austria’s International Art Fair, Vienna, Austria, 2002;
• Participation in Lineart Art Fair, Ghent, Belgium, 2003;
• Group exhibition – "Instance In Art", gallery Krebsen, Copenhagen, Denmark, 2004;
• Participation in Vilnius Triennial of Painting, Contemporary Art Center, Vilnius, Lithuania, 2005
• Solo exhibition at Gallery NB, Roskilde, Denmark, 2006;
• Solo exhibition – "Vilmantas 10 years", gallery NB, Viborg, Denmark, 2007;
• Participation in St Peterburg-Baltic Biennial, The Central Exhibition Hаll "Manege", St Peterburg, Russia, 2008;
• Solo exhibition at Listasavn Foroya (National Art Gallery), Faroe Islands, 2009.

SELECTED AWARDS

• Artist of the Year, Viborg City Prize, Denmark, 2000;
• Artist of the Year, LATGA prize, Vilnius, Lithuania, 2001;
• Winner of Online Art Competition – "Saatchi showdown", London, UK, 2009.

OTHER INFORMATION

• V. Marcinkevicius is an active participator in various art projects both in Lithuania and abroad. He does believe that artworks shall move from galleries and exhibition halls into urbanistic environment, bringing art closer to people.
• V. Marcinkevicius along with Audrius Grazys initiated an art project – “Bite Art Space” – that was an unprecedented event in the history of contemporary Lithuanian art – artists for the first time created extremely large paintings and exhibited them in open public spaces.
• V. Marcinkevicius painted a portrait of the Danish royal family and other famous people.
• The art of V. Marcinkevicius is even valued by church. In 2016 the artist donated a large (300x190 cm) painting – “Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet“ for Hedeager church in Denmark.