Vytenis Jankūnas Lithuanian, b. 1961

Overview

Vytenis Jankūnas (b. 1961, Lithuania) is a visual artist interested in social critique, religion, grotesque and the daily lives of people in an urban society. Having obtained an art degree at the Vilnius Academy of Arts in 1985, later Jankūnas worked as one of the Academy’s lecturers. The artist has been living and working in New York since 1995.

Vytenis Jankūnas’s early works include decorative sculptures, plastic art, medals and paintings. Later the artist developed an interest in stamps, photography and digital media. In his most recent work, Jankūnas’s main medium is photography: the artist has been working on photo and video installations, books and photography shows. Jankūnas’s photographs usually depict his daily travels in New York and mundane images of urban spaces and people in them. His documentary expression is reminiscent of classical photography styles, yet the artist applies different techniques in his work, combining multiple expositions, processing the pictures digitally or employing them in installations and video material. His photographs are characterised by an invisible complexity on the surface, overlapping instants of times and situations, and distorted limits of various media.

Vytenis Jankūnas is actively presenting his work in both solo and group exhibitions in Lithuania, the US, France, the UK, Germany, Latvia, Finland and other countries. He received the Fellowship Award in the category of Painting from the New York Foundation for the Arts (Gregory Millard Fellowship), was invited to a residency at the Nordic Arts Centre (HIAP) in Helsinki (Finland), and won three grants in Lithuania: one from the Nordic Information Office, one from the Soros Centre for Contemporary Arts, and The Annual State Grant for Young Artists provided by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania. Jankūnas also won the 1st place in the Self-Published Books category of the International Photography Awards (IPA). Finally, the artist’s works are included in many public and private collections in the US, Germany, Sweden, Hong Kong, France, Canada and Lithuania.

Works
Biography

Born 1961 in Vilnius, Lithuania

Works and lives in New York, USA

 

EDUCATION/RESIDENCIES

1979-1985 – BFA and MFA from Vilnius Academy of Art (Lithuania)

1972-1979 – National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art in Vilnius (Lithuania)

1995 – Nordic Arts Centre, Helsinki (Finland)

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2020 – Stories from J 2 Manhattan, Undercurrent Gallery, New York City (USA)

2016 – Stuck on the Train / Rongis kin, Art Hall Gallery, Tallinn (Estonia)

2016 – Stuck on the Train, Delegation of the European Union to the US, Washington D.C. (USA)

2015 – Stuck on the Train / Pakeleivis, Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius (Lithuania)

2015 – Stuck on the Train, Embassy of Lithuania, Washington D.C. (USA)

2001 – Where is My Fucking Experience, Courthouse Gallery in Anthology Film Archives, New York City (USA)

2001 – Recent Prints, Kairė/Dešinė gallery, Vilnius (Lithuania)

1994 – Bricks, Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius (Lithuania)

1993 – Pictures, Arka gallery (Lithuania)

1992 – Arka gallery, Vilnius (Lithuania)

1991 – Bokštas gallery, Vilnius (Lithuania)

1991 – Langas gallery, Vilnius (Lithuania)

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2020 – “Living in The Negative Space” at the “Art Vilnius'20” Special Projects program, Vilnius (Lithuania)

2020 – Spectrum, VARTAI gallery, Vilnius (Lithuania)

2019 – In Other Places II, Kaunas Photography gallery, Kaunas (Lithuania)

2018 – In Other Places II, Prospekto gallery, Vilnius (Lithuania)

2017 – “J 2 Manhattan & Back 24-7-365 in HD” at the “Art Vilnius'17” Special Projects program, Vilnius (Lithuania)

2017 – From Realism to the Object. Lithuanian World Art in the Collection of the Lithuanian Expatriate Art Foundation, Vytautas Kasiulis Art Museum, Vilnius (Lithuania)

2016 – FestArte Video Art Festival “Global Migration”, ON ART Space in Testaccio, Rome (Italy)

2016 – Random Rapid Heartbeats. Selected projects from the CAC Vilnius programme, Tallinn Art Hall, Tallinn (Estonia)

2016 – “Gridworks” at the “Art Vilnius '16” Special Projects program, Vilnius (Lithuania)

2016 – From Realism to the Object. Lithuanian World Art in the Collection of the Lithuanian Expatriate Art Foundation, M. Žilinskas Art Gallery of M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum, Kaunas (Lithuania)

2012 – Viborg International Billboard Painting Festival, Viborg (Denmark)

2012 – Occupy!, Governor’s Galleries on Governors Island, New York (USA).

2010 – Independent Drawing Gig Nr 6, Fluxus ministerija, Vilnius (Lithuania).

2008 – Independent Drawing Gig Nr 4, Artbreak Gallery, Brooklyn (USA).

2007 – Independent Drawing Gig Nr 3, Quartair Contemporary Art Initiatyves, Hague (Netherlands)

2007 – Bitės meno erdvės, International Billboard Painting Festival, Klaipėda (Lithuania)

2006 – 101.3 KM – Competition and Cooperation, Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius (Lithuania)

2006 – Naujos Kaukės, Kaunas Picture Gallery, Kaunas (Lithuania)

2002 – City Spotting, Gallery Arteritorija, Kaunas (Lithuania)

2002 – Jazzy Print, M.K. Ciurlionis Art Museum, Kaunas (Lithuania)

2001 – Buying time: Nourishing Excellence, Sotheby’s New Galleries, New York (USA)

2001 – Traditionen I Dag, Väsby Kontshall, (Sweden)

2001 – Mutating Image, 12th Tallinn Print Triennial, Tallinn Art Hall, Tallinn (Estonia)

2000 – Painterly, The 11th Vilnius Painting Triennial, Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius (Lithuania)

2000 – Tradition and Future, Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius (Lithuania)

1999 – Lithuanian Art 1989-1999: The Ten Years, Contemporary Art Center, Vilnius (Lithuania)

1999 – 8. Kunstmarkt Dresden 1999, Residenzschloss Dresden (Germany)

1998 – From Outside to the Side, Kloster Bentlage, Rheine; Villa Weiner, Ochtrup (Germany)

1996 – Bread and Salt, Cornerhouse Gallery, Manchester (Great Britain)

1995 – Bread and Salt, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh (Great Britain)

1995 – Lithuanian Art: 1995, Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius (Lithuania)

1994 – Order of Presence, MUUry Gallery, Helsinki (Finland); Gallery Jutempus, Vilnius (Lithuania)

1994 – Bread and Salt, Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius (Lithuania)

1994 – The Memory of Images. Baltic Photo Art Today, The State Academy of Fine Arts, Gdansk (Poland); Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius (Lithuania);  Berlinsche Galerie – Martin Gropius Bau, Berlin (Germany)

1993 – Aujourd'hui les baltes, Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris (France)

1993 – Art MIF-93, Central Exhibition Hall Manege, Moscow (Russia)

1993 – 9th Vilnius Triennial of Painting, Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius (Lithuania)

1993 – The Memory of Images. Baltic Photo Art Today, Stadtgalerie im Sophienhof, Kiel (Germany); Kunsthalle Rostock, Rostock (Germany); Exhibition Hall Latvia, Riga (Latvia); Exhibition Hall Nikolaj, Copenhagen (Denmark)

1992 – False Art, Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius (Lithuania)

1992 – 1st Exhibition of “Group 1”, Arka gallery, Vilnius (Lithuania)

1992 – 2nd Exhibition of “Group 1”, Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius (Lithuania)

1992 – Pornography, Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius (Lithuania)

1992 – New Wild, Oriental Arts Center Ltd., Hong Kong (China)

1992 – Paintings on Paper, IFA, Schwerinsches Palais, Berlin (Germany)

1989 – National Exhibition of Young Lithuanian Artists, Kaunas Picture gallery, Kaunas (Lithuania)

1989 – Young Lithuanian Artists, Szentendre Gallery, Szentendre (Hungary)

1988 – 4th Exhibition of Young Baltic Artists “Youth 88”, Art Exhibition Palace, Vilnius (Lithuania)

1989 – National Art Exhibition, Art Exhibition Palace, Vilnius (Lithuania)

1987 – National Exhibition of Young Lithuanian Artists, Art Exhibition Palace, Vilnius (Lithuania)

1987 – 2nd National Medal Exhibition, St. John’s Church, Vilnius (Lithuania)

1986 – National Exhibition of Young Lithuanian Artists, Kaunas Picture Gallery, Kaunas (Lithuania)

1986 – National Exhibition of Young Lithuanian Artists, Art Exhibition Palace, Vilnius (Lithuania) 

AWARDS

2020 – Winner of the 1st place in the Self Published Books category of the IPA - int'l photography awards, New York (USA)

2000 – Fellowship award in the category of Painting from the New York Foundation of the Arts (Gregory Millard Fellowship), New York, NY (USA)

1995 – The Annual State Grant for young Artists, Vilnius (Lithuania)

1995 – Fellowship in the Nordic Arts Centre, Helsinki (Finland)

1994 – Grant of the Nordic Information Office, Vilnius (Lithuania)

1994 – Grant of the Soros Center for Contemporary Arts, Vilnius (Lithuania)

COLLECTIONS

Lewben Art Foundation (Lithuania)

MO Museum collection (Lithuania)

National Gallery of Art (Lithuania)

M.K. Čiurlionis State Art Museum (Lithuania)

Private collections in USA, Germany, Sweden, Hong Kong, France and Canada

Exhibitions
Bibliography

PUBLICATIONS

2020 – Vytenis Jankūnas, Dance With Me, Self published, 2020 

BOOKS/CATALOGUES

2017 – Readdressed 2. Lithuanian and Litvak Graphics, Sculpture, Photography, Contemporary Art in the Lithuanian Expatriate Art Foundation, ed.: Dr. Rasa Andriušytė-Žukienė, Vilnius: Lewben Art Foundation, Lithuanian Expatriate Art Foundation, 2017

2017 – CAC 2007 – 2017, catalogue, ed.: Kęstutis Kuizinas, Vilnius: Contemporary Art Centre, 2017

2017 – Art Vilnius '17, Contemporary Art Fair, catalogue, Vilnius: Lithuanian Art Gallerists’ Association, 2017

2016 – Random Rapid Heartbeats. Selected projects from the CAC Vilnius programe, catalogue, ed.: Edgaras Gerasimovičius, Justina Zubaitė, Vilnius: Contemporary Art Centre, 2016

2016 – Art Vilnius '16, Contemporary Art Fair, catalogue, Vilnius: Lithuanian Art Gallerists’ Association, 2016

2007 – CAC 15 years, Vilnius: Contemporary Art Centre, 2007

2006 – 101,3 KM, catalogue, Vilnius: Contemporary Art Centre, 2006

2005 – Rūta Goštautienė, Lolita Jablonskienė, Pažymėtos teritorijos, Vilnius: Tyto Alba, 2005

2001 – Buying time: Nourishing Excellence, catalogue, New York: Sotheby’s, 2001

2001 – Traditionen I Dag, catalogue, Sweden: Väsby Konsthall, 2001

2000 – Tradition and Future, catalogue, Vilnius: Lietuvos dailininkų sąjunga, Contemporary Art Centre, 2000

2000 – 100 Contemporary Lithuanian Artists. Soros Center for Contemporary Arts in Lithuania, ed.: Raminta Jurėnaitė, Vilnius: Paknio leidykla, 2000

2000 – Painterly. The 11th Vilnius Painting Triennial, catalogue, ed.: Anders Kreuger, Vilnius: Contemporary Art Centre, 2000.

1999 – 8. Kunstmarkt Dresden, catalogue, 1999

1999 – Lithuanian Art 1989-1999: The Ten Years, catalogue, ed.: Kęstutis Kuizinas, Lolita Jablonskienė, Vilnius: Contemporary Art Centre, 1999

1998 – Lithuanian Sculpture 1940-1990 Collections of the Lithuanian Museum of Art, catalogue, ed.: Romualdas Budrys, Vilnius: Lietuvos dailės muziejus, 1998

1997 – Giedrė Jankevičiūtė, Elona Lubytė, Skulptūra 1975-1990, Vilnius: Aidai, 1997

1997 – Lietuvos dailė '97. Galerijos pristato, ed.: Raimundas Malašauskas, Jonas Valatkevičius, Vilnius: Contemporary Art Centre, 1997.

1997 – Guide Apollonia. Art contemporain de l’Europe centrale et orientale, ed.: Frac Alsace, Strasbourg: Editions du Counseil de l’Europe, 1997

1996 – Beyond Freedom, New York, 1996

1995 – Three Agendas. Lithuanian ArtKazys Varnelis, Post Ars, Gediminas Urbonas, catalogue, ed.: Kęstutis Kuizinas, Vilnius: Contemporary Art Centre, 1995

1994 – Bread and Salt, catalogue, Berlin, 1994

1993 – 9th Vilnius Painting Triennial, catalogue, Vilnius, 1993

1993 – Das Gedachtnis der Bilder. Baltische Photokunst heute, catalogue, Kiel: Stadtgalerie, 1993

1993 – Aujourd’hui les Baltes. Art Contemporain d’Estonie, Lettonie, Lituanie, catalogue, Paris, 1993

1993 – Moscow International Art Fair “Art MIF-93”, catalogue, Moscow: Art MIF publishers, 1993

1992 – Litauische Malerei auf Papier, catalogue, Berlin: IFA, 1992

1989 – Granito skulptūros kurybine stovykla. Klaipėda / Smiltynė. 1989/VI.15/VII.26, catalogue, Klaipėda, 1989

 ARTICLES/INTERVIEWS

2020 – Eglė Petreikienė, “Vytenis Jankūnas. Niekad nemiegančio miesto portretai”, in: Nemunas, Nr. 4, 2020 

2018 – Ainė Jacytė, “Kaunas mene: kaip arti yra tikslas ir kaip toli reikia eiti?”, in: 7 meno dienos, Nr. 34 (1271), 2018-10-26 

2017 – Žibuoklė Martinaitytė, “Vytenis Jankūnas: ‘Į situacijas žiūriu kaip į meno kūrinius”, in: Literatūra ir menas, Nr. 1 (3598), 2017-01-06 

2015 – Julija Fomina, “Pagrindinė fotografo misija – pamatyti’ Pokalbis su Vyteniu Jankūnu”, in: artnews.lt, 2015-12-09 

2015 – Rūta Mikšionienė “Lietuvis paspendė laiko spąstus Niujorko metro keleiviams”, in: Lietuvos Rytas, 2015-12-05

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