Lithuanian art portraits of XX c.: Elvyra Kairiukštytė

On September 28, 2007, at 16.00 in the gallery “Kairė - dešinė” of Vilnius Graphic Art Centre;
the author of the report - Kristina Kleponytė.

The creative work of the graphic artist Elvyra Kairiūkštytė as well as her personality for most people is not very well known. Although the artist has actively worked in the second part of the 8th – 9th decade, her creative work is mostly not presented in publications for art history. Facts from her biography testify her difficult life, which has influenced the character of Elvyra Kairiūkštytė. Constantly lonely graphic artist realized herself in creative work. Works of this talented student were positively evaluated in Stepas Žukas School of Applied Arts and in the Lithuanian Soviet State Institute of Arts, later – in exhibitions of art. The artist was well respected by lecturers and students for her artistic talent and professional work using linen carving technique. This talented personality communicated with bright people from the art world, who had huge impact on her creative work.

In the period of 1972–1989 the graphic artist Elvyra Kairiūkštytė has created approximately 150 different works accomplished using the technique of linen carving. In the early period created works are distinctive by her professional mastery of technique, artistic and plastic innovation. The creative inheritance of the artist is comprised of cycles of works accomplished using linen carving technique, and independent compositions (in the latter ones the influence of old civilizations is distinct, namely Ancient Egypt, cultural arts of North American Indians). The creative work of the graphic artist was also influenced by works of a modern artist Pablo Picasso, the classic Lithuanian graphic artist Viktoras Petravičius. Innovative is the approach of linen carving that the artist has: expressivity of plastic expression, development of a portrait genre, bright multilayered use of colours in imprints. All the mentioned allows to post Elvyrą Kairiūkštytę between the most significant Lithuanian artists of XX c..

Kristina Kleponytė