The world’s most famous artists are also present at the 9th World Sami Art Exhibition

The Žemaitian Art Museum in Plunge is preparing for one of the largest in history IX World Žemaitian Art Exhibition. The list of artists has already been prepared, the works are being transported to the museum, and the spaces are being organized. The opening of the exhibition will take place on June 22. The organizing team claims that they can confidently start inviting visitors to Plunge and planning summer routes. This week, the exhibition was presented to the Vilnius Žemaičiai Cultural Society.

The organizers of the exhibition who came from Plungė, Klaipėda and Šiauliai to the Vilnius teachers’ house presented, according to them, one of the most important Lithuanian art exhibitions of this year. Organizers of the IX World Žemaicai Art Exhibition: Alvidas Bakanauskas, director of the Žemaica Art Museum, deputy director and coordinator of the World Žemaica Art Exhibition dr. Jolanta Skurdauskienė, exhibition curator Assoc. Neringa Poškutė-Jukumienė and Goda Giedraitytė, art critic dr. Viktoras Liutkus, cultural historian dr. Dangiras Mačiulis, art historian dr. Skirmantė Smilingytė-Žeimienė, exhibition architect Antanas Gerlikas.

Exhibition curator Assoc. Neringa Poškutė-Jukumienė, presenting the IX World Žemaitian Art Exhibition, mentioned that this year the exhibition routes will cover almost the entire territory – as many as seven spaces of the Mykolas Oginskis estate will be explored. Guest authors living outside of Lithuania will be exhibited on the first floor of the palace: artists from France, Canada, the United Kingdom, the USA and Germany. On the second floor of the palace – In Memorial Retrospective exhibition of Rimantas Daugintis’ work, curated by art critic Dr. Victor Liutkus. Also, on the second floor of the palace, a selected exhibition of the works of graduates and teachers of the Telšiai Faculty of Arts and Sciences will be presented. The palace will welcome visitors with the works of 45 artists selected this year through a competition. Zirgynas will be surprised by the renovated hall, which will house Žilvinos Kempin’s work TUBE, which was exhibited until now only in 2009 at the 53rd Venice Biennale. In the historical Laikrodinė building, it will be possible to see the work of conceptual graphics representative Evaldos Mikalauskas. Another innovation at this exhibition is the opening of park spaces for creators, where you can view the works of Žemaič sculptors. The eastern office, which is currently awaiting restoration, will be no less surprising – young artists who have chosen to create photography, painting, contemporary graphics, light and sound installations will settle here.

Alvidas Bakanauskas, director of the Žemaičiai Art Museum, thanked the curators of the exhibition, who undertook the work very responsibly and at the same time creatively. According to the director, this year’s exhibition will be unique and impressive. The World Art Exhibition of Žemaitsi, held every four years, changes and improves, just like the 30-year-old museum, where new layers of history are opened every year, and historical buildings are brought to life. According to A. Bakanauskas, it is very convenient to arrive in Plunge, and at the same time to the exhibition opening on June 22, by train, because M. Oginskis’ estate is near the railway station.

The organizer of the first World Saxon Art Exhibition, art critic dr. Viktoras Liutkus shared his memories of the beginning in 1989 and emphasized the importance of the exhibition: “The event is not local, it is important for all of Lithuania”. The main desire of the organizers of the first exhibition was to gather Žemaitian artists who live not only in Lithuania, especially those who emigrated, but whose roots are in Žemaitia. In 1994, the exhibition was held for the first time at the Žemaicai Art Museum, in the still-unrestored M. Oginskis Palace. The art critic was happy that this year’s exhibition will pay special attention to the artist and the organizer of the world’s first Žemaitian exhibitions, Rimantas Dauginčius, who would have turned 80 this year. A retrospective exhibition of the artist’s work is being organized in Plunge, which is curated by Dr. V. Liutkus.

The six-month-long exhibition will be accompanied by an unusually rich program of cultural events. One of the most solid events is the scientific conference “Personalities marked by Žemaitija: from creators to legendary heroes”. Conference organizer, historian dr. Dangiras Mačiulis said that together with art historian dr. Skirmante Smilingyte-Žeimiene decided this time to invite researchers to look at the phenomenon of Žemaitija through personalities, their creativity and social and cultural expression. The conference attracted special interest from scientists, the organizers received over 60 applications from participants, and the most interesting reports were selected. The event grew into a two-day conference. “I tell everyone that this year the best art exhibition will be in Plunge,” said Dr. Dangiras Mačiulis.

Coordinator of the World Žemaitian Art Exhibition dr. Jolanta Skurdauskienė says that she relies on the history of Žemaitsi exhibitions, which began in the interwar period. And the association of Žemaitsian artists is one of the oldest professional artists’ associations, carrying a very strong ideological charge. “We have had very strong patrons since the first world exhibitions of Žemaitian art, and this testifies to the importance of this exhibition,” said Dr. Jolanta Skurdauskienė. The patrons of the exhibition are former Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania Adolfas Šleževičius, bishop dr. Jonas Boruta, and this year Simonas Kairys, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, kindly agreed to patronize the exhibition. The World Žemaicai Art Exhibition is one of the most important events not only in the Žemaicai Art Museum, but the ambition of the organizers is to work in a new direction, expand and become a prominent art phenomenon of the entire region.

The coordinator of the exhibition revealed that this year, events accompanying the 150th exhibition are planned: “In half a year, we will offer various cultural activities, not only a scientific conference, – meetings with artists, the film “Mončys. Žemaitis from Paris” creators. We have also planned a trip – an excursion to the birthplace of the famous Žemaitsi artist Liudas Truikis in the village of Gilaičiai”. Excursions, education cycles, album presentations will await the visitors.

Until now, about half a thousand artists have participated in the World Žemaicai Art Exhibitions in Plunge, over 2,000 works have been exhibited, of which almost 1,000 have been donated to the Žemaicai Art Museum. The exhibition has been visited by a quarter of a million visitors.

The opening of the 9th World Art Exhibition of Samogitians is scheduled for 2024. June 22 More information about the exhibition – www.zdm.lt and on the Facebook account of the Žemaicai Art Museum.

Information of the Žemaicai Art Museum

Press release