The Smoke of a Prayer by Žilvinas Landzbergas

About

The idea of the exhibition arose during the discussion with the author about the relationship between the artist and culture, as well as art institutions - museums, art centers or galleries. More specifically, about the fate of works that link authors with these organizations. Who could and should be responsible for their future - ensuring survival, perpetuation and visibility?

A large-scale, site-specific installation „Hidden Sun“ by Žilvinas Landzbergas, was created specifically for the 33rd São Paulo Biennalle, for one of the group exhibition "O pássaro lento" ("Slow Bird", 2018) curated by Claudia Fontes, and was shown to public just that one time. The work, for most of us known only from photographic documentaries - is impressive, engaging - as if the drawing in space has expanded so that it turned into an architecture, in which curious spectators wonders while non-Lithuanian tropical greenery peeks through its windows.

This, like many works of a similar fate, which required enormous effort, time, and funding from both the artist and the institution, later quietly sinks into oblivion in an unheated warehouse. Shown once, the work becomes more like an event, devaluing its material form. Without perspective or with? This time, the starting point of the exhibition - to resurrect Žilvinas' "Hidden Sun", to present the artist's new works (objects, installations), leaving the development of the idea to the artist, eager to await his position and statement.  

Žilvinas Landzbergas was born in 1979 in Kaunas. In 2004, he graduated from Vilnius Academy of Arts. In 2005–2007 he spent on the De Ateliers postgraduate artist’s residency in Amsterdam. In 2008, he received the main award of the modern and contemporary art publisher Thieme Art. Since 2003 he participating in various exhibitions and projects in Lithuania and abroad. In 2017 Žilvinas‘ project „R“ was exhibited in the Lithuanian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. In 2018 his works were presented at Riga International Biennial of Contemporary Art and São Paulo Biennial. 2011–2013 he managed the art project space „Malonioji 6“. Since 2018 the artist collaborates with Meno Parkas Gallery.

The exhibition is part of the gallery‘s project „Mano Parkas Gallery – 25“.

The exhibition at Kaunas Picture Gallery will run until March 6.

Partner of the exhibition: M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art.