Art Exhibition "Rain Meets Sun“ Opens in Kaunas
Updated 2009-07-13
When the Lithuanian rain will meet the Japanese sun, they will create the wide rainbow of contemporary art. The exhibition of the famous Japanese „Fluxus“ author Ay-O (real name Takao Iijima), his collegues and followers, Jonas Mekas and other Lithuanian artists will be opened under the title „Rain Meets Sun“ on July 14, Tuesday, 16:00 pm at National M. K. Čiurlionis Art Museum M. Žilinskas Art Galery in Kaunas.
Close contacts between Lithuanian and Japanese artists were established in summer of 2001, when a wonderful „Fluxus“ festival was held in Kaunas Picture Gallery. In June, the gallery was visited by the famous Japanese „Fluxus“ artist Ay-O (Takao Iijima). Honoring his close friend and collegue George Maciunas, Ay-O organised an exhibition of his rainbow graphic art. As a mark of respect to Lithuania and Kaunas, which brought up an initiator of „Fluxus“ movement, Ay-O presented gallery with his object „Finger Box Kit“ and 31 print of his rainbow graphic art. Among them was the portrait of G. Maciunas „One Eye Is Enough“. In the Picutre Gallery hall, he set up a permanent installation called „Black Hole“ and dedicated it to George Maciunas. This installation can still be viewed today.
When the curator of this exhibition Saulius Valius visited Japan in autumn 2008, at the Lithuanian Embassy in Tokyo Ay-O received the rewards by the Minister of Culture Jonas Jučas and Kaunas Mayor Andrius Kupčinskas for his gifts and for fostering the cultural relations between the two countries. At that time, in the workshops of Ay-O in Tokyo, an idea to organize one more exhibition in Lithuania, where artists' collegues and followers could participate, was floated. During that visit Ay-O donated two of his graphic art prints and an object „Fluxus Finger Box“, which will be presented for the first time on exhibition „Rain Meets the Sun“.
The rainbow of Ay-O graphic art embodies the name of the exhibition. Eleven strong participants of Japanese contemporary art scene and eight Lithuanian artists will be presented as well. Creator of installations and performances, Tokio Maruyama, and a prominent middle generation photoartist Naotaka Sugimoto will take part in the exhibition. The famous Japanese painter of the elder generation, Akira Komoto, who works in photography and painting-installation field, will follow the example of Ay-O – he will donate one of his works to M. K. Čiurlionis museum. Taeko Mori, Yoshiko Maruyama, Rikiya Iwakuma, Mitsumasa Kadota, Toshiaki Hikosaka – all these artists will present their installations and paintings. Another famous Japanese artist and curator, Hiroshi Egami, will visit Lithuania for the fifth time already. Performance artist Tei Kobayashi will also appear. The pianist Yumiko Okawa, who recorded her improvisation cycle on the Paberžė church organ, will give her concert on the opening day in M. Žilinskas gallery.
Curators Hiroko Murata and Tatsuhiko Murata from contemporary art center „Youkobo Art Space Tokyo“, Atsuko Takahashi and Fumiko Otsuka from International Paper art center in Mino city will give their lectures.
The Lithuanian „contemporary art rain“ will be presented by nine different artists. There will be paintings by Vytenis Lingys, photoinstalation by Laisvydė Šalčiūtė, sculpture by Kęstutis Musteikis, installations and objects by Diana Radavičiūtė and Kęstutis Grigaliūnas. There will be installations by three more Lithuanian artists – Aistė Valiūtė, Daumantas Plechavičius and Saulius Valius. We are proud, „Discructive Quartet” (four-segment video installation) by Jonas Mekas will be presented in the exhibition. The artist will donate his work, witch will be precious gift for „fluxus“ collection in M. K. Čiurlionis museum.
„Rain Meets Sun“ is one of the biggest art projects in Kaunas this summer. At least 26 artists and curators from Lithuania and Japan will take part. Curated by Saulius Valius and Eglė Komkaitė-Baltušnikienė, the project brought together well-known artists, and is a significant result of lasting cultural interaction.
The exhibition will be open from July 14 to August 30, 2009.
Close contacts between Lithuanian and Japanese artists were established in summer of 2001, when a wonderful „Fluxus“ festival was held in Kaunas Picture Gallery. In June, the gallery was visited by the famous Japanese „Fluxus“ artist Ay-O (Takao Iijima). Honoring his close friend and collegue George Maciunas, Ay-O organised an exhibition of his rainbow graphic art. As a mark of respect to Lithuania and Kaunas, which brought up an initiator of „Fluxus“ movement, Ay-O presented gallery with his object „Finger Box Kit“ and 31 print of his rainbow graphic art. Among them was the portrait of G. Maciunas „One Eye Is Enough“. In the Picutre Gallery hall, he set up a permanent installation called „Black Hole“ and dedicated it to George Maciunas. This installation can still be viewed today.
When the curator of this exhibition Saulius Valius visited Japan in autumn 2008, at the Lithuanian Embassy in Tokyo Ay-O received the rewards by the Minister of Culture Jonas Jučas and Kaunas Mayor Andrius Kupčinskas for his gifts and for fostering the cultural relations between the two countries. At that time, in the workshops of Ay-O in Tokyo, an idea to organize one more exhibition in Lithuania, where artists' collegues and followers could participate, was floated. During that visit Ay-O donated two of his graphic art prints and an object „Fluxus Finger Box“, which will be presented for the first time on exhibition „Rain Meets the Sun“.
The rainbow of Ay-O graphic art embodies the name of the exhibition. Eleven strong participants of Japanese contemporary art scene and eight Lithuanian artists will be presented as well. Creator of installations and performances, Tokio Maruyama, and a prominent middle generation photoartist Naotaka Sugimoto will take part in the exhibition. The famous Japanese painter of the elder generation, Akira Komoto, who works in photography and painting-installation field, will follow the example of Ay-O – he will donate one of his works to M. K. Čiurlionis museum. Taeko Mori, Yoshiko Maruyama, Rikiya Iwakuma, Mitsumasa Kadota, Toshiaki Hikosaka – all these artists will present their installations and paintings. Another famous Japanese artist and curator, Hiroshi Egami, will visit Lithuania for the fifth time already. Performance artist Tei Kobayashi will also appear. The pianist Yumiko Okawa, who recorded her improvisation cycle on the Paberžė church organ, will give her concert on the opening day in M. Žilinskas gallery.
Curators Hiroko Murata and Tatsuhiko Murata from contemporary art center „Youkobo Art Space Tokyo“, Atsuko Takahashi and Fumiko Otsuka from International Paper art center in Mino city will give their lectures.
The Lithuanian „contemporary art rain“ will be presented by nine different artists. There will be paintings by Vytenis Lingys, photoinstalation by Laisvydė Šalčiūtė, sculpture by Kęstutis Musteikis, installations and objects by Diana Radavičiūtė and Kęstutis Grigaliūnas. There will be installations by three more Lithuanian artists – Aistė Valiūtė, Daumantas Plechavičius and Saulius Valius. We are proud, „Discructive Quartet” (four-segment video installation) by Jonas Mekas will be presented in the exhibition. The artist will donate his work, witch will be precious gift for „fluxus“ collection in M. K. Čiurlionis museum.
„Rain Meets Sun“ is one of the biggest art projects in Kaunas this summer. At least 26 artists and curators from Lithuania and Japan will take part. Curated by Saulius Valius and Eglė Komkaitė-Baltušnikienė, the project brought together well-known artists, and is a significant result of lasting cultural interaction.
The exhibition will be open from July 14 to August 30, 2009.
