BIRUTĖ NOMEDA STANKŪNIENĖ
Painting allows me to meditate upon the nature of being human and the relationship between myself as an individual and other people. Creating is a journey of finding the answers; it is an attempt to describe and communicate day-to-day experience.
Since starting to fulfil her dreams of becoming a full-time professional artist, Birute Nomeda Stankuniene has graduated from Vilnius Academy of Art, opened her personal gallery and her work has been showcased in national and international exhibitions over twenty-five times. A book has been published based solely on the artist’s painting series and Birute’s art has been featured on IUOMA and Slow Art day publications, online blogs and has been selected as part of a weekly collection of Saatchi Art Online gallery. She is also a member of IUOMA (International Union of Mail-Artists), Slow Art Day movement, Tribute to Jheronimus Bosch Project and others.
The artist says that for her to create means to think, communicate, solve and discover. Painting allows her to meditate upon the nature of being a human and the relationship between her as an individual and the other people. For her, creating is the journey of finding the answers; it is an effort to describe and communicate the day-to-day experience.
Through her abstract creations she reveals, in a very subtle way, the universal problems by presenting her own unique interpretation and analysis; on the other hand, she as if opens herself to an absolute whirl of feelings and emotions. There are no clear implications of symbols or significant allusions in her paintings, nonetheless, the works of the artist hypnotise both by the intense and profound texture and deeply expressed colour palette, and by an absolutely contrary and light as if water-colour-driven lyrics. In both cases the artist is very clear on what she wants to convey and she doesn’t provide the space for flirting with the observer. She compares her works with a new-born baby and adds that each process of painting reminds her an oar in a lifeboat.
Participating in the exhibitions is a big joy for Birute, as she is fascinated by the dialogue between herself as an artist and the spectator of her works: 'Every painting is a part of my inner self, put out there in front of the spectator’s eyes, to be observed and reinterpreted. Painting as a unique means of communication allows me to speak of the things I cannot express in words. Once the painting is on display, it starts its own independent life; I cannot help but wonder how the conversation between my work and the spectators is going to go.’
EDUCATION
2009 - BA in Design, Vilnius Art Academy.EXHIBITIONS OR OTHER ARTISTIC INITIATIVES
Group Exhibitions
- 2015 – National Exhibition 'Ar(T)chyvas’ in Arka, the gallery of the Fine Art Union Lithuania. Participating work - ‘Shaded Signs‘.
- 2013 – National Exhibition 'ANATOMY of XXI c' in Arka, the gallery of the Fine Art Union Lithuania. Participating works – ‘STIGMA I’, ‘STIGMA II’.
- 2013 – Intercontinental Exhibition 'United Nations: Nations – Water – Cultures“ United Nations Headquarters, New York (organisers: Inter-Art Foundation Aiud, Permanent Mission of Romania to the United Nations by Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR)). Participating work ‘Beware of the Artist’ - LINK
Solo Exhibitions
- 2015 – “Crazy Yellow” at Business Center Gostauto 40, Vilnius, Lithuania
- 2015 - Personal exhibition at gallery of Marija and Jurgis Šlapeliai House -Museum, Vilnius, Lithuania.
- 2015 - 'Embracing Life' at Sherborne Abbey, Dorset County, UK.
- 2014 - Personal exhibition at the exhibition area of Business Centre VERTAS, Vilnius.
- 2014 - ‘Towards Yourself’ at B.M. Stankūnienė’s Gallery, Cultural Centre of Marijampolė.
- 2013 - ‘About the Autumn’ at the exhibition area of Novotel Vilnius Centre, Vilnius.
- 2012 - ‘Being Yourself’ Exhibition at the gallery of National UNESCO committee , Vilnius.
- 2011 - ‘When the Stick Blooms’ exhibition at the gallery of Liudviko Rėzos Cultural Center, Juodkrantė.
- 2009 - Exhibition at the Pažaislis monastery ensemble, Kaunas.
- 2008 - ‘Summer’ exhibition at Elektrėnai Municipality exhibition area.
- 2006 - ‘Beginning’ the first personal exhibition at the gallery of Culture Centre of Rumšiškės.
Solo Exhibitions - 'Seven Feelings According to The Book of Job'
The painting group ‘Seven Feelings According to The Book of Job’ has been exhibited 14 times in sacral, exhibition and other non-exhibition public spaces. The book ‘Seven Feelings According to The Book of Job’ has been published in 2011. Based on the group of seven paintings, it also includes extracts from the Book of Job (Old Testament) in French and Lithuanian.- 2015 – Sherborne Abbey, Dorset County, UK
- 2013 - ŠOFAR gallery, Jews Cultural Centre, Vilnius.
- 2013 - Bernardinai Church, Vilnius.
- 2012 - International Christian Conference Krikštėnai Manor, Ukmergės Dist.
- 2012 - St. Casimir Church, Vilnius.
- 2011 - Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis Church, Vilnius.
- 2010 - Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis Parish House, Vilnius.
- 2010 - Waldorf school, Vilnius.
- 2010 - Šventežeris’ church, Šventežeris.
- 2009 - Pavilnys’ convent, Vilnius.
- 2009 - The Lutheran church, Vilnius.
- 2008 - Vytautas’ church, Kaunas.
- 2008 - Paparčiai’ church, Kaišiadorys Dist.
Other Activities
- 2016, Participates in the Project ‘Tribute to Jheronimus Bosch’ (JBP) It is an information, knowledge and networking platform connecting Art, Science and Business around a central theme: the Dutch medieval painter Jheronimus Bosch - LINK
- 2012 ‘ART TARANDE’. Art festivity in Vilnius Tarandė district.
- 2011, 2012 The member of cultural festival ‘Kultūros naktis’ in Vilnius.
- 2012, 2014 Participation at ‘Slow art day movement’.
- Management of personal Birutė Nomeda Stankūnienė’s gallery.
- Member of IUOMA (International Union Of Mail Artist).
- Workshops for children together with Soroptimist International Vilnius Club.
Book Publication
- 2010 – ‘Septyni Jausmai pagal Jobo dramą’, (‘Seven Feelings According to The Book of Job’) Author Birutė Nomeda Stankūnienė; text - Old Testament, Bible; pictures - Birutė Nomeda Stankūnienė; publisher -'Sapnų Sala'.
PRESS COVERAGE
Print, magazines and newspapers
- 2015, March 9, 'Lithuanian lesson in embracing', 'Dorset Echo' daily newspaper,
- 2015, March 5, ‘Lithuanian artist brings her works to abbey’, 'Western Gazette ', weekly newspaper.
- 2014, April 19, 'Without reconciliation there is no path to inner peace' ('Be susitaikymo nėra kelio į vidinę ramybę' ), 'DRAUGAS', the Lithuanian world-wide daily newspaper, Algis Vaškevičius.
- 2013 November 2, ‘Seven Feelings According to The Book of Job‘, (Septyni jausmai pagal Jobo dramą’), 'DRAUGAS', the Lithuanian world-wide daily newspaper, Laimutė Vasiliauskienė - Rožukienė.
- 2006, November 3, ‘Sometimes it is easier to speak in colors than in words’ ("Kartais lengviau pasakyti spalvomis, nei žodžiais"), ‘Kaišiadorių aidai’, Laima Kmeliauskienė
Exhibitions catalogues
- 2013 September 3. Catalogue of the exhibition 'ANATOMY of XXI c' in the gallery Arka.
- 2010 May 29. Catalogue of Vilnius auction 13.
Other Mass media
News about the artist and her the exhibitions on other mass media: TV, radio, online.2015 The exhibition “Crazy Yellow” at Business Center Gostauto 40, Vilnius
Online coverage at:- ‘Alfa’, daily news site - LINK
- ‘Bernardinai’ cultural and daily news site - LINK
- ‘Kamane’, cultural news site - LINK
2015 The exhibition at "Marija and Jurgis and Šlapeliai" house museum gallery.
Online coverage at:- 2015 ’Elta’ Lithuanian News Agency - LINK
UK mass media:
- Dorset Echo - LINK
- Western Gazette - LINK
- Salisbury Diocese - LINK
- Sherborne Town - LINK
- Tim Daykin show – BBC Radio Solent, Tim Daykin has mentioned the exhibition in his morning show, warmly recommending to visit.
- Embassy of The Republic of Lithuania in United Kingdom - LINK
- Naktigonė - Laisvoji Banga. Radio interview with the artist - LINK
- bernardinai.lt - LINK
- ‘Naujasis Židinys-Aidai’ illustrated cultural, religious and social life news - LINK
- In Russian language - LINK
Exhibitions ‘Seven Feelings According to The Book of Job’ was covered:
- 2013 - BNS, Baltic News Service - LINK
- 2008 - XXI amžius. Christian thought, culture and society news - LINK
- 2011-Bernardinai.lt, daily news site - LINK
Gallery ŠOFAR Exhibitions ‘Seven Feelings According to The Book of Job’ was covered:
2012 Exhibition ‘Being Yourself’ at the gallery of National UNESCO committee, Vilnius was covered- ELTA, BNS, Lithuanian National Radio - LINK
- lt Online news about national cultural and social life - LINK
- 2012 - Bernardinai.lt, daily news site - LINK
- 2012 - link daily news site - LINK
- 2012 - ELTA - Lithuanian News Agency - LINK