ANTANAS ŽMUIDZINAVIČIUS 150TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION “SILENT HORIZONS”

From May 5, the A. Žmuidzinavičius Creations and Collections Museum  (V. Putvinskio St. 64, Kaunas) presents the exhibition Silent Horizons, dedicated to the anniversary of A. Žmuidzinavičius.

In 2026, we are celebrating the 150-year anniversary since the birth of the prominent Lithuanian painter Antanas Žmuidzinavičius. This is an invitation to take a new look at the creative heritage of one of the brightest personalities of the Southern Lithuania land of Dainava, which is also known under the name of Dzūkija.

The symbolic name of this exhibition Silent Horizons introduces the landscapes depicted by A. Žmuidzinavičius not only as some physically visible images but also as spiritual states experienced by a visionary. In the creative work of A. Žmuidzinavičius, landscape is turned into a live space which involves emotional and cultural layers of sense(s). The works that were selected for this exhibition reveal the scope of the geographical experience of the painter, his journeys embracing the world spanning between Lithuania and the United States of America which features different experiences of light, climates, and moods. The depicted landscapes are witnesses of personal adventures, the feeling of longing for someone, the experience of freedom, and the restrained and reflective relationship with the surrounding world.

This exhibition invites to stop for a minute and take a more insightful look. The landscapes hide coded messages rendering the mood of the instance, the personal attitude of the painter, and key details of his biography. Here, landscape is not merely aesthetic space of contemplating the visible environment. It is way more than that – it becomes silent expression of identity, values and citizenly consciousness. At the times of the nation experiencing great historical challenges, landscapes acquire a special sense as they turn into a symbol of strength, spiritual foundation and resistance stemming from one’s inner world. On the other hand, landscapes may also function as ideological representation which contributes to the construal of political narratives and the shaping of propaganda discourses.

The growing interest of society in the personality and activity of Antanas Žmuidzinavičius suggests that his creative work may be perceived and interpreted not only in the more general context of the history of art, but also as a live cultural phenomenon which is of high relevance, and which persists as a live cultural phenomenon retaining its emphatic relevance even today.  The exhibition seeks to prompt a dialogue between generations, promote cultural consciousness, raise questions and look for answers – even if these answers may occasionally sound somewhat uncomfortable. Nevertheless, the key question is still facing every one of us: In today’s ubiquitous hurry, do we still stop to take a closer look at a flowing river, to hear the rustling trees, to see louds floating by in the light-blue sky, and can we hear silence? Silent Horizons invite not only to watch, but also to experience – that is, to discover the landscape of one’s soul.

Exhibition Patron: Dr. Jaunius Gumbis Lithuanian Art Foundation

Partners: Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union, Vladas Putvinskis-Pūtvis Club, Lithuanian National Museum of Art, Lithuanian Art Knowledge Centre TARTLE, Vytautas the Great War Museum, UAB Bikuvos prekyba, Mantas Steponavičius Art Collection, Vilnius City Museum Beatričė’s House, Sibirkos Rožynas.

Special thanks to the grandchildren of Marija and Antanas Žmuidzinavičius: Augis Gučas, the late Rimantas Gučas, Birutė Gučaitė, and the late Giedrė Gučaitė.

Exhibition Curator: Jurgita Rimkutė-Vainiuvienė
Exhibition Coordinator: Daina Zozaitė
Education Programme: Giedrė Grinkevičiūtė, Vincenta Pokštienė
Communications: Vida Labanauskienė, Monika Mastavičiūtė, Milda Žiūkaitė
Graphic Design: Naglis Rytis Baltušnikas
Editors: Aurelija Gražina Rukšaitė, Armandas Rumšas
Translator: Armandas Rumšas
Exhibition Architecture: Ekspobalta
Exhibition Technicians: Irmantas Kuskys, Mindaugas Bagdonavičius, Izoldas Smagarauskas, Rimantas Bernatavičius