On Wednesday, 4 June, the international glass art exhibition "A Personal Journey with Glass" will be presented at the creativity centre "Pragiedruliai". Three well-known glass artists from different parts of the world - Bevan Taka (New Zealand/Sweden), Anda Munkevica (Latvia) and Mark Eckstrand (USA) - will be exhibiting their works.
This exceptional exhibition in Panevėžys invites visitors not only to explore the work of three different artists, but also to experience their personal journey through glass. Each artist shares his or her approach to glass not only as a creative medium but also as a way of life.
The worlds of three artists
The 30 glass works on show are created in different periods, in different parts of the world, but they are united by a common principle: all the artists work with glass themselves, from the idea of the work to the final technical implementation. This approach to glass art as a complete and intimate creative process can be seen as the core of the exhibition.
Mark Eckstrand is an artist of US origin, currently living and working in Lithuania. In this exhibition, he presents a retrospective series of glass works that explore the phenomenon of glass from different perspectives - from a practical household object to a symbolic cultural element. "Glass surrounds us every day - from spectacle lenses to architectural structures. The material is both invisible and an essential part of our environment," says the author.
Anda Munkevica is one of Latvia's most prominent contemporary glass artists. Her work is distinguished by its social and political interpretation of themes, sensitive reflection on global events. Anda uses glass as a tool to talk about current issues - human vulnerability, migration, power structures. "When you work with glass, you have to be in the here and now. You can't get distracted - glass demands your full attention and honesty," says the artist.
Bevan Taka, originally from New Zealand, currently lives and works in Sweden. His work often features symbols of Maori culture, organically intertwined with contemporary artistic forms. Bevan's journey with glass is literally geographical, taking him from one part of the world to another. "For me, glass is a living material. It breathes, it changes, and you have to move with it," says the artist.
A personal journey with glass
All three artists share a long-standing friendship and common creative experiences in the world of glass art. They met through international projects, residencies and shared creative challenges. The works featured in their exhibition have been shown in prestigious galleries and art centres around the world, and now they meet for the first time in a single exposition in Panevėžys. The works will be exhibited at "Pragiedruliai" until 1 July.
The opening of the exhibition "A Personal Journey with Glass" and a meeting with the authors and the creative team will take place on Tuesday, 4 June at 6 pm. The event is free of charge.
