LACONICA
International art biennial dedicated to minimal art
01.10- 04.11. 2021
Vilnius

Opening reception at 7:30 pm at Tsekh Gallery (6 Vytenio St, Vilnius) featuring a performance by artist Židrija Janušaitė. 

Artists of the exhibition: Jovita Aukštikalnytė-Varkulevičienė, Ina Budrytė, Andrius Erminas, Nerijus Erminas, Vaiva Frančiakaitė, Aurelija Maknytė, Jaromír Novotný, Eglė Ridikaitė, Renie Spoelstra, Birutė Stulgaitė, Takashi Suzuki, Gintautas Trimakas, Justinas Vaitiekūnas. 

Curated by Agnė Jonkutė and Kotryna Džilavjan. 

The title of the new biennial refers to its semantic and aesthetic character: it is conceived as a platform and space for artists that develop minimal or minimalist language in their work with such keywords as reduction of form, reserved narration, aesthetics of silence, abstraction, monochrome, etc. The Laconica biennial also seeks to bring visual art and other fields of art together, to generate creative ideas and collaborative projects, and draw attention to relevant contemporary trends and ways of thinking. 

The artists of the exhibition are like modern alchemists interested in extracting ideas and converting them into new and pure values. Some of the authors focus on such concepts as light and colour, seeing them not as divine abstract emanation but as independent, material, almost physically tangible objects. Others seek inspiration from nature, perceiving it as a fundamental, primordial “theory of everything”. Still others borrow images from their environment and reduce them many times, making them so dense and concentrated that they reach the state of singularity similar to the black holes. 

Other events of the Laconica Biennial: 

Solo show entitled I AM HERE FOR YOU by artist Rieko KOGA at Pamėnkalnio Gallery (1 Pamėnkalnio St., Vilnius). 1 October – 4 November, 2021. Opening reception at 6 pm. 

Rieko Koga is a contemporary Japanese artist currently living and working in Paris. The artist's work stands out by a monochrome, yet expressive style, and an astounding mastery of contemporary textile language. Her handmade embroidery and stitches on white fabric build nearly sculptural and graphic-like objects and her works most often acquire the features of installation art. Rieko Koga’s work embraces the experiences of both Japanese and Western culture, existential themes, intersections of nature and civilization. 

POETRY AND SILENCE: a minimalist poetry reading at Pamėnkalnio Gallery (1 Pamėnkalnio St., Vilnius). 21 October, 6 pm. 

Poets Donaldas Kajokas, Aidas Marčėnas, Indrė Valantinaitė, Dovilė Zelčiūtė will read their works live. Music by Simonas Nekrošius. Curated by Dr. Aušra Kaziliūnaitė. 

All the events are free of charge. 

Organiser: Pamėnkalnio Gallery. 
Curators: Agnė Jonkutė, Kotryna Džilavjan, Aušra Kaziliūnaitė.  
Architect: Vladas Suncovas. 
Designer: Monika Janulevičiūtė. 
Public relations specialist: Stefanija Jokštytė. 
Sponsors: Culture Ministry of the Republic of Lithuania, Lithuanian Council for Culture, Vilnius City, Clear Channel Lithuania. 
Partners: Tsekh Gallery, Hunt Kastner Prague, Galerie Ron Mandos, Lithuanian Writers’ Association, Lithuanian A