International Culture Experience of the Month, Lithuania
Celebrating the legacy of artist and composer M. K. Čiurlionis This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of artist and composer Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis. The praised M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art in Kaunas will host an international exhibition in his honour, exploring the artist’s fascination with the sea and the cosmos, and an extensive programme of events worldwide awaits.
and abstract art as well as opportunities to listen to his music. The permanent exhibition is under constant development, and was latest updated in December.
By Malin Norman
From amber to the stars
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Photos: Marija Valasevičiūtė
M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art in Kaunas is one of the largest and oldest art museums in Lithuania. Founded in 1921 as a small temporary gallery, the objective was to collect and save the creative works by Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis (1875-1911).
short life, Čiurlionis created 400 musical pieces and 300 works of art, pioneering new forms like pictorial sonatas that fused painting and music. The museum is the only place in the world dedicated to his legacy, with innovative paintings
Over the years, the museum has grown into a huge complex showcasing Lithuanian and international art history and culture. “The mission of the museum is to encourage the understanding of the cultural and artistic processes of Čiurlionis, as well as other Lithuanian and worldwide artists and cultural heritage,” says Greta Katkevičienė, curator. Born in 1875 in the small town of Varėna, Čiurlionis is one of Lithuania’s most celebrated symbolist painters, composers and cultural profiles. During his 88
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Issue 176
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March 2025
Greta Katkevičienė, curator at M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art. Photo: Justė Vyšniauskaitė
This year marks the 150th anniversary of Čiurlionis’ birth, with a range of events including a new exhibition opening on 21 March. The international display is named From Amber to the Stars. Together with M. K. Čiurlionis: Now and Then. It brings together the most significant works of Čiurlionis alongside his contemporaries and artists of the present day, exploring two interconnected entities that inspired the artist; the sea and the cosmos. The exhibition brings classical and contemporary pieces that will be shown for the first time in Lithuania, among them works by Anselm Kiefer, Mariele Neudecker, William Blake and others. It will not only be an art exhibition, but with interwoven scientific pieces and knowledge; it will offer a new look on Čiurlionis and the world that surrounded him and surrounds us today.