“For the 20th spring in a row, the lovely gallery has invited me to put on an exhibition, and I am grateful. I was thinking of doing 20 paintings… It turned out to be more because more dreams were lined up, demanding to be materialized,” – said artist Marius Jonutis about his anniversary solo exhibition Dreams. The opening of the exhibition will take place at Vilnius gallery Meno niša on April 13 at 6 pm.
Marius Jonutis has been collaborating with Meno niša since the gallery’s inception. Symbolically, last year the gallery celebrated its 20th anniversary, and this year, this honorable number of 20 has also appeared in the work of Marius Jonutis.
According to Diana Stomienė, director of the Vilnius gallery Meno niša, this annual exhibition of M. Jonutis speaks of the artist’s productivity, but also his creativity, creative energy, and consistency. “The artist’s spring exhibitions have become a long-standing tradition of the gallery, and his colorful works have become a herald of summer. For twenty years, Marius’ exhibitions have been a celebration for both the audience and the gallery. Looking at his works, you can read the story year after year, the common human and topical themes create the story of Marius’ work, regardless of the material or technique,” said D. Stomienė, director of the gallery, about the long-standing cooperation with M. Jonutis.
According to Jonutis, there is no single unifying theme in the exhibition Dreams, no series or comic, just all kinds of dreams, images, and stories. “In a dream, as in life, everything is real, but not quite – something goes out of bounds, stays nearby, in a different way. In paintings it’s the same, they are not a picture of the world or life, but something close by, not the way it was, but the way it could be. They pop into my mind unintentionally and unexpectedly, both day and night, at the desk and in the car on the way to get potatoes in Alytus market. About home, about summer, Ukrainian, Kartvelian, about love and friends,” said M. Jonutis.
“I’m doing the work, solving problems – of composition, construction, of color. How to make it the way I’ve thought of, from what I have, what I know, what I’ve tried, or what I come up with. Sometimes the work has its own path, and sometimes I end up somewhere I didn’t plan, but that’s the way it had to be, apparently. This game is fun for me, it’s what makes me get up every morning, like a gambler who can’t wait to get to the casino,” added M. Jonutis.
M.Jonutis graduated from the Vilnius Academy of Arts, majoring in graphic arts, and has held more than 50 group exhibitions and more than 60 solo exhibitions in Lithuania and abroad. The artist mainly creates sculptures, painted wood reliefs, paintings, graphic works, and illustrates books. During his 30-year career, M. Jonutis has created over 1 000 works of art, most of which have found their audience and new homes.
M. Jonutis is also a modern storyteller in images, with a unique sense of a folk tale. By visualizing the plot in his own creative manner, he subtly brings archaic fairy tale symbols to the surface, recreates them, and builds a fantasy world out of them. In his work, people, mythical fairy tale characters, and magical objects are transformed from textual characters into multidimensional figures embodying common human values.
Marius Jonutis about his exhibition Dreams:
For the 20th spring in a row, the lovely gallery has invited me to display an exhibition, and I thank you.
I was thinking of doing 20 paintings in my favorite 90 x 90 format.
Somehow, there are more, as more dreams lined up, demanding to be materialized.
Journalists usually ask – well, what’s new this time?
It’s the wrong question – novelty may be a good driver of consumerism, but it’s more important to ask what’s good. I tried my best, and what came out of it is not for me to say. That’s what the exhibition is for.
There is no one unifying theme, it’s not a TV series or a comic book, just all kinds of dreams, images, and stories.
In a dream, as in life, everything is real, but not quite – something goes out of bounds, stays nearby, in a different way.
In paintings (not only mine) it’s the same, they are not a picture of the world or life, but something close by, not the way it WAS, but the way it COULD BE.
They pop into my mind unintentionally and unexpectedly, both day and night, at my desk and in the car on the way to get potatoes in Alytus market.
About home, about summer, Ukrainian, Kartvelian, about love and friends.
Actually, about myself, but hopefully not only.
If there were no dreams, the night would be empty, gloomy, and black from evening till morning. And if there were no art?
Dreams color the night, and work colors the day.
I haven’t encountered that vertical glowing channel from above, and I’m not someone else’s instrument.
I’m doing the work, solving problems – of composition, construction, of color.
How to make it the way I’ve thought of, from what I have, what I know, what I’ve tried, or what I come up with as I go along.
Sometimes the work has its own path, and sometimes I end up somewhere I didn’t plan, but that’s the way it had to be, apparently.
It’s the fun of the game, it’s what makes me get up every morning, like a gambler who can’t wait to get to the casino.
A daily journey, with fatigue and discovery.
I’ve cut a bunch of boards and MDF panels, I couldn’t do without it – a day without drills and saws is idly dumb.
Thanks, if you come and have a look, I hope I won’t spoil the mood. I don’t have nightmares, maybe it’s because Lina feeds me so well.
Even if I had a terrible dream, I wouldn’t draw it – there’s no need to multiply the blackness, there’s enough of it as it is.
I am always drawn toward goodness because paradise is where everyone is good.
The exhibition Dreams by M. Jonutis will be open at Vilnius city gallery Meno niša until May 13.
The gallery is sponsored by Vilnius City Municipality.