The Shore

Romualdas Balinskas

Romualdas Balinskas is Lithuanian expressionist painter, who is among the most notable figures in Lithuanian modern art. Whether a small-scale or large-scale painting, there is always a combination of biographical motifs and elements from dreams. Typical of Balinskas, the subject matter is a human being. Balinskas‘ individuals, usually depicted as sexless, faceless and without identity, are placed between easily recognizable physical objects. By leaving many vague visual elements, he forces the viewer to complete the narrative.

An exclusive part of Balinskas art is the expanded field of painting, questioning its physical and material limitations as well as the idea of the painting as a unique object. By expanding the limits of paintings, the artist focuses on the physical structure of the painting and creative process. To achieve vibrant surfaces, Balinskas uses dense layers of acrylic that harden in the heat. These painting‘s expansions are called “swamps“.

According to the artist, the act of painting is like a ritual with a clear concept and intentions. He strongly refuses to “produce” art and avoid any artistic influences.

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

• Personal exhibition – “Patapymai”, Gallery of Siauliai University, Siauliai, Lithuania, 2015;
• Personal exhibition – “Pasitikiu tavimi”, House of Perkunas, Kaunas, Lithuania, 2015;
• Art Vinius’16, Lithuanian Exhibition and Congress Centre LITEXPO, Vilnius, Lithuania, 2016;
• Personal exhibition – “Working Class Diary”, Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania to the Republic of India, New Delhi, India, 2016;
• Solo exhibition – “Balos”, Lithuanian Artists’ Association Gallery, Vilnius, Lithuania, 2016;
• 17th International Vilnius Painting Triennial, Kaunas Picture Gallery, Kaunas, Lithuania, 2017;
• Personal exhibition - “Bilderungen”, Krankenhaus Hedwigshöhe, Berlin, Germany, 2017;
• Joint exhibition of Painters from Lithuania and Germany, Lithuanian Artists’ Association Gallery (Vilnius, Lithuania) and Verein Berliner Künstler (Berlin, Germany), 2018;
• Group exhibition, Tartu Artists Union, Tartu, Estonia, 2019

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Romualdas participates in a number of personal and group exhibitions since 1984;
• Since 1990 he is a member of Lithuanian Artists’ Association;
• Lithuanian Council for Culture has awarded Balinskas with Grant for the Arts in 2014 and 2016;
• In addition to painting, Romualdas does graphic design for various publishing houses, he has already created over 500 book covers.