Matas Janušonis. Vakccine. 2021 Object, birch plywood ©
On September 9, at 5 pm, Vilnius gallery Meno Niša invites to the opening of the exhibition Electric Shepherd by the young generation artist Matas Janušonis.
In his third solo exhibition, the artist will reconstruct the already existing or ready-made objects by changing their external form, or by contextually changing the meanings of phenomena.
According to Matas Janušonis, he is currently developing the themes of nature and mechanics in his works, looking for how they correlate with each other, how they complement each other. The title of the exhibition, Electric Shepherd, metaphorically integrates these themes. “Electric Shepherd” is an enclosure for animals carrying low electrical current. This title is a paradox between something human, living – and highly technical, robotic.
“The new works reveal experiments based on the laws of physics that deny themselves, questioning the effect of gravity on objects and thus provoking changes in the viewer’s perception of space. The starting point of the installations is a variety of optical tricks, or toys talking about the problems of the centre of gravity and levitation,” says Matas Janušonis about the upcoming exhibition Electric Shepherd.
Artist Matas Janušonis. Photo – Rytis Šeškaitis ©
The sculptor’s creative and technical processes can be both separate and sometimes combined. “Often, the technical aspects dictate the possibilities of creating, as if a framework within which I can develop my works. And sometimes I just come up with what interests me and force the technology to become able to make the piece that I want.”
Matas Janušonis’ works were successfully presented at art fairs ArtVilnius, Positions Berlin, viennacontemporary, YIA in Brussels and Paris; his works are in the collections of the Lewben Art Foundation and the Mocak Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow. In 2018, his sound installation Vartai won the audience award at the JCDecaux Prize exhibition at the Contemporary Art Center.
Matas Janušonis’ exhibition Electric Shepherd at the gallery Meno Niša will run until October 2. The project of the exhibition is financed by the Lithuanian Council for Culture, the sponsor of the gallery is Vilnius City Municipality. Electric Shepherd is part of the Vilnius Gallery Weekend program. The sculptor will welcome visitors to the gallery and talk about his work on Saturday, September 11, at 1 p.m.
