When: 17 August – 7 October 2018

Opening: 17 August 2018 (Friday), 7pm
Tour of the exhibition with the artist: 18 August 2018 (Saturday), 2pm

Curator: Gierdė Legotaitė
Coordination: Paulina Kuhn
Production of the exhibition: Wojciech Ruminski
Exhibition architecture: Arvydas Žalpys

Exhibition TIME WIND. Retrospective by Lithuanian artist Eimutis Markūnas (b. 1959) showcases works of the past 14 years – his most exciting installations, graphite painting, drawings, video. Artist, started his creation in stained glass sphere, where he managed to rule the material doing it by following tradition and going beyond customary perception, aiming conception. It is essential for gallery‘s “Meno parkas” (Kaunas / Dusseldorf) artist Eimutis Markūnas to submit the idea for perceiver, maybe even reveal it or give assumptions, who mostly analyses existentialist themes via his creation. His works are often deepen into the mood of existential exile which surrounds the artist. The mood is not casual: “I am not an impressionist, who would react to different enlightenments of the sun or something similar” – E. Markūnas.

The flow, the run of time and works that were created in / through time. Theme of time mentioned in the title of the exhibition is accurate twofold – as representation, direction of the artist’s works in past years and as an essential component of his main subject. The relevant for artist topic he reveals and develops using the technologies that interests him (like graphite painting), light, pigments, materials, found objects – this is in his search an on his palette. The conception of his graphite painting covers two aspects: expression of gestural abstract painting and photography, imitation of the optic properties of it. While drying, the painting of graphite, alike as photography, is bringing to light, so the final result shows up only after it dries up. Graphite, as a painting for artist is important as unique material – it came from process of death (burning) what gives for works this necessary context and connection. Using this technique artist creates a parallel field by using abstract and real forms.

The constant theme about life and existence, through the motive of body and body parts, artist is reaching to the sense of this side and the feeling (maybe even pursuit?) of ulterior. When you feel so close or so far away.

Exhibition TIME WIND. Retrospective provides works from 2004 to recent days. Eimutis recently had his solo show in Barcelona (“Twilight Zone. The Bodies”, at gallery “La Xina A.R.T.”, June 9^th – July 7^th, 2018). The visitor of centre “Znaki Czasu” will be able to experience powerful set of installations such as “Outgoing-Incoming” (2008), “Horizontal” (2005), “Zone No. 1” (2004) and other. Impressive solo show with installation “Horizontal” was presented in Austria in (in cooperation with “Kunst Palais Liechtenstein”at Johanniterkirche, Feldkirch) where artist exposed the video “Fata Morgana” (2008) and installation “Space of Bedroom” (2005). Montage of video “Fata Morgana” is as a dream of a dead one, what gives implications of a surrealism. Visually accented feet of a dead one in the video frame receives symbolic meaning. The feet was carrying men on earth. It is a meaning of a journey, which has already ended. Now these feet are only exhibits in the Museum of Medicine. Object of scientific research.

The video is accompanied by 6 “alternative” beds, that are painted with human prints – to create this installation was used human body prints, grease, paint. “Bed – is the situation where one born and dies” (E. Markūnas). However you’ll look at this – it is a basis. Recognizable parts of human prints rises dramatism. These not traditional bunks that are showing fragments of human body (reorganised, interrupted parts as legs, fragments of face convey particular information – more than one „participant“). What is this bed? What is this tomb? Who is lying in and for how long, what are the reasons of it? Artist is interested in creating multifaceted works. It takes the interest away, if “you looked once – and everything is clear” (E. Markūnas).

One of his key body of work – installation Outgoing–Incoming, 2008 (flour, lighting, footwear, 800 x 1200 cm) – has travelled to many places in Europe (Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Belgium). Installation uses 300 kilos of flour and operates a number of rubber boots. Once again, the artist varies with different material (food product, footwear) and big quantity (lets say – 300 kilos of flour, many units of shoe) what instantly hooks perceiver to look for covered meaning(s). Or in another installation – Zone No. 1 (2004) – artist operates cubic surrounded with barbed wire (600 x 600 cm). The conception of this installation is about the idea, that everyone has their hidden thoughts, aspirations, memories what in some distance of time becomes particular zone, which cannot be escaped.

This exhibition also showcases a series of drawings, video. Artist often creates being inspired by found objects, materials that appear to interest him, so you may say, that source of inspiration is often accidental. For artist this solo presentation is important overall – through the aspect of looking into yourself, seeing a cross-section.  The collection includes works of 14 years, so it is not a collection of a lifetime, but it definitely provides an outlook – contemplative goal, when the reason is not to do, but to be or become.

Art critic, gallery‘s „Meno parkas“ curator Gierdė Legotaitė

The exhibition is presented by gallery “Meno parkas” and is a part of international-cultural exchange project „Art Line“.
The project is part financed by Lithuanian Council for Culture and Ministry of Culture.

www.eimutismarkunas.eu
www.menoparkas.lt

Tags: exhibition