Confessional Portrayals-Drawings on Recycled Paper 2018-2024

About

The exhibition presents over a hundred works from Vaisvilaite’s latest series of drawings, created over the past six years.

Composed on recycled paper, these hauntingly beautiful images span the years 2018 to 2024, forming a narrative that is both personal and biographical, as well as imaginary. The drawings, deeply influenced by various events from the artist’s life, explore themes of loneliness, alienation, terror, and vulnerability. In her work, Vaisvilaite portrays herself as both the artist and the subject; her face is often visible but frequently disguised, altered, or enveloped by symbolic objects, animals, and plants.

On the back of one of her drawings, she writes: “Mysterium tremendum et fascinans,” a phrase from philosopher and theologian Rudolf Otto that translates to “a fearful and fascinating mystery.” She adds, “thank God there is something to color tomorrow.”

The works featured in this exhibition offer a glimpse into universal human experiences, balancing misery and sublime joy, often with a touch of humor.

About the artist

Rasa Vaisvilaite was born in Vilnius, Lithuania, and studied art at the Vilnius Art Academy. Her work spans various media, including animation, video editing, graphic design, and street art.

Currently residing in Bergen, Norway, Vaisvilaite captures life's fleeting moments through a personal landscape that blends human, natural, and built imagery. She prefers working with pen and pencils on recycled paper, old school notebooks, and cardboard boxes. As she explains, “Expensive paper scares me; I’m afraid of ruining it.”

In 2021, she collaborated closely with poet and performer Faith Hylingaer on the book Love Letters, published in New York.