KKKC – EGLĖS COUNTRIMIENĖS-DEGUTIS EXHIBITION: “DEEP SURFACES”

in 2024 On Friday, February 23, at 5:30 p.m., the exhibition of paintings by Eglė Kontrimienės-Degutis “Deep Surfaces” opens in the Exhibition Hall of the Klaipėda Cultural Communication Center (KKKC) (Didžioji Vandens str. 2, Klaipėda). It will exhibit works from the author’s two cycles “Fata Morgana” and “Dust and Rust”. According to visual arts critic Rosana Lukauskaitė, the series “Dust and Rust” “was created using mixed media, acrylic and aerosol – it can be understood as an intermediate space between transience and beauty, giving meaning to the traditional Japanese Vabi Sabi (lit. “modest simplicity”) principles of aesthetics”. And the series of paintings “Fata Morgana” is an abstract, free interpretation of the marine landscape. The exhibition will be open until March 24.

FATA MORGANA – MIRAGE OR REALITY?

Rimantas Šiekstelė says that “E. The creative field of Kontrimienė-Degutis is abstract, textural, gestural, painterly expression. The themes are mostly based on the motifs of Lithuanian, emotionally experienced landscapes. The series of paintings “Fata Morgana” is inspired by complex optical phenomena, consisting of several mirages, which appear as a result of temperature inversion. In this phenomenon, objects on the horizon appear longer and higher above the surface of the earth.”

“The artist’s expressive, textural, spontaneous, gestural painting is connected with Eastern Zen Buddhist aesthetics. The author has been consistently working in this field for many years of individual creativity, spending it even more, constantly looking for new plastic expressions and creative experiments. The artist combines various painting techniques and materials – from traditional oil painting materials to the latest ones, such as “graffiti”, looking for a dialogue between different techniques,” R. Šiekštelė observes.

ALL BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS ARE PART OF THE ETERNAL CYCLE

According to visual arts critic R. Lukauskaitė, “the series “Rust and Dust” by painter Eglė Kontrimienė-Degutis sounds like a reflection on the flow of time and the transience of human experience. Abstract paintings on canvases are something that seems to be easily forgotten and lost, but once could be seen as eternal and imperishable things. It brings to mind not only physical objects, but also human experiences, memories and relationships that fade and transform over time. The painting of E. Kontrimienė-Degutis, depicting the textures and forms of rust and dust, conveys this constant process of change, which is inevitable and often unpredictable. Rust is what was solid and strong, and dust is what ultimately remains behind us all. The subtle, hazy shapes and colors depicted in the paintings create the feeling that something is intangible, will soon disappear or is already a part of the past. It can also be the fragility of our lives and understanding how quickly even the most significant moments pass, leaving only faint reflections in our memory.”

WHERE DOES THE UNIVERSE BEGIN? WHERE DOES IT END?

“E. The subtlety of Kontrimienė-Degutis works reveals a deep meaning: what appears to our eyes as collapse or disappearance is actually only a part of a larger plan – the harmony of the universe. Each line, softness of color or roughness of texture become symbols that invite the viewer to look at the world through the prism of death and rebirth, where each end point inevitably leads to a symphony of new beginnings.

Comparing the works of E. Kontrimienė-Degutis with other works of abstractionism, one can see a certain connection with the cycle “Sacchi” by the Italian artist Alberto Burri, in which he also depicted the signs of time and decay; or with the works of Anselm Kiefer, in which the author uses different textures to create a powerful visual and historical narrative. The paintings of E. Kontrimienė-Degutis also reflect certain aspects of Antoni Tàpies’ works, in which we see a similar interest in texture and transformation of materials,” observes R. Lukauskaitė.

Working hours of the KKKC Exhibition Hall (Dižioji Vandens st. 2, Klaipėda): Wednesday-Sunday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. (closed on public holidays). Photographs and videos will be taken during the opening of the exhibition. We inform you that the participants may be seen in the photos and videos of the event published in various media. More information www.kkkc.lt and www.kulturpolis.lt.

KKKC information