2022.02.03-2022.02.26

Locations: Vilniaus rotušė (Didžioji g. 31, Vilnius) and gallery Meno Niša
Opening: 3rd February, 18:00, Vilniaus rotušė

The main idea of the exhibition was formed as a result of long reflection. What unites all the works is the confidence that ideas, thoughts, and visions materialize. If a person has a vision and aches to realize it, thoughts can become physically tangible.

Our ideas burst into an endless stream. A continuous process is formed, objects come to life, setting everything in motion. As the ideas that have evolved into objects are revitalized and renewed in paintings, this streaming flow continues forever. And we believe it.

Thoughts can wear off, but they can also regenerate. The notion of “rebirth” is in some way related to this. There are moments in life when we do not see a solution, when the vision of the future is lost… Rebirth can also relate to ideas.

“In my works, both stars as flares and precious stones as raindrops embody the ideas of civilization in their own way. Whether it’s in Wagner’s raging sea or Neo Rauch’s starburst.

I try to capture the vibrant fluency of the world. On the one hand, the paintings are inhabited by man-made, relatively stable structures, but on the other hand, there is also a sense of an irrational world that extends far beyond the earthly, obvious environment. I have noticed that our encounters with many things and phenomena are like flashes – at first a thought or a process is active, but in an instant it fades and disappears. At this moment, our physical position is crucial – whether we are in the centre of the processes or on the periphery.

It is at those moments when ideas wear off and the star burns out that the next stage of “rebirth” becomes important. I am also interested in the moment when several ideas detonate simultaneously. What comes after that? Do the strongest prevail? Does the wave caused by the explosion extinguish the nearby thought? Because of this uncertainty, in many of my works I try to break away from this stable bond with the ground – the images I create seem to be levitating in the air. My desire to free them from gravity stems from the adventures of my thoughts bordering on irrationality,” comments Andris Vitolins.

Andris Vītoliņš is a Latvian artist (born 1975 in Liepāja). Studied and now working in Art Academy of Latvia as a Professor in the painting department, Pro-rector in Creative and Administrative work of the Art Academy of Latvia.

Works in collections: HangART-7, Red Bull collection, Salzburg, Austria, Schlossberghotel, Graz, Austria, Museum of Modern Art Baku, Hypothekenbank in Essen AG, Swedbank contemporary art collection, Latvian State Museum of Arts, Matti Milius’ Art collection, DnB Nord Bank collection.