The exhibition spans thirty years in Lithuania’s life: from the time of our restored Independence in 1990 to now. Twelve artists from different generations talk about that which makes up the core of the Lithuanian identity.
What’s important to Lithuanians?
Nature. Lithuanians are proud to have been Europe’s last pagans; even the most modern Lithuanian seeks inspiration and serenity in forests (some of which date back as far as pagan times) and from the Baltic Sea. That is why organic materials are used in our jewellery: wood and paper, resin and parchment, and of course, amber, which means quite a bit more to Lithuanians than other people. In the early 20th century, it became the symbol of the Lithuanian identity and is still considered the embodiment of being Lithuanian.
The past and history. Lithuanian jewellery-makers tell stories by going back to their roots. Many centuries of occupations, liberation struggles, the preservation of our language and writing against all odds, legends, mythology and even the howl of the Iron Wolf have all left their mark on our consciousness and in our jewellery.
The present. The restoration of Independence not only opened the borders but also liberated our thinking. Jewellers now find inspiration both in thousand-year-old Baltic brooches and on club stages. Lithuania, a country at the crossroads of Europe, draws courage from its past and sketches out future perspectives.
The exhibition is held at the Musee du Bijou Contemporain in Seaside Canyon on the occasion of the Lithuanian season in France. The exhibition will be open until 8 December.
Participating artists: ASOL (Solveiga ir Alfredas Krivičiai), Eglė Čėjauskaitė-Gintalė, Vita Pukštaitė-Bružė, Eimantas Ludavičius, Benas Staškauskas, Paulius Rukas, Karina Kazlauskaitė, Biruta Stulgaitė, Sigitas Virpilaitis, Ieva Grigienė, Šarūnė Žygienė.
Photographs used in the exhibition by: Simone Guyon de Chemilly (FR), Artūras Raila (from the series „The Power of the Earth“), Vytautas Daraškevičius
Curators of the exhibition: Jurgita Ludavičienė, Olga Zobel-Biro
