Marija Puipaitė & Vytautas Gečas Lithuanians, b. 1987
Marija Puipaitė (b. 1987, Lithuania) and Vytautas Gečas (b. 1987, Lithuania) are Vilnius-based designers and PhD students at the Vilnius Academy of Arts. Both artists obtained their BA in Product Design at the Vilnius Academy of Arts, followed by an MA in Contextual Design at the Design Academy Eindhoven.
Despite a collaborative working style, each of the designers has an individual creative approach. Puipaitė uses the human body as the starting point for her designs: whether it is furniture or jewellery, each piece cultivates an intimate, organic connection with its user/wearer. Gečas, on the other hand, turns to domestic objects as subjects of personification. By leaning on complexity, fragmentation and layering, he plays with different perceptions and contexts of the created objects. Besides developing and presenting personal creative projects, both designers collaborate with brands, engage in mentoring, and curate design workshops and exhibitions. By merging two different design practices, the artists look for common points and unexpected outcomes in object-based narratives. Their works are born through exploring the relations between contemporary and traditional materials, contrasting cold and hard, brass, metallic, or carbon structures with wood or cushioned, “comfortable” forms. Thus, various organic variations are created, leaving room for possible reconstruction. In many cases, the constructive framework of the designed objects remains exposed to viewer. This creates a rhythmic unfolding of the works’ inner structure that in turn, enveloped in the accompanying material, causes a fluidity in the shapes and an ergonomic feel.
VYTAUTAS GEČAS
Born 1987 in Vilnius, Lithuania
Lives and works in Vilnius, Lithuania
EDUCATION/RESIDENCIES
2018 – Cite Internationale Des Arts, Paris (France)
2013 – Contextual Design (MA) at the Design Academy Eindhoven (The Netherlands)
2006-2010 – product design (BA) at Vilnius Academy of Arts, Vilnius (Lithuania)
EXHIBITIONS
2020 – Collectible Design fair, with VARTAI Gallery, Brussels (Belgium)
2020 – Spectrum, VARTAI Gallery, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2020 – Head With Many Thoughts, Contemporary Art Center, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2019 – Alert objects, VARTAI Gallery, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2019 – Envisioned Comfort, A-piece gallery, Do the Right Thing, VAA exhibition space ‘Titanikas’, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2018 – Design Lithuania 2018, Palais Ducal, Caen (France)
2018 – now! le off, Paris design week, Paris (France)
2018 – Stories of Things Lithuanian Design 1918 - 2018, National Art Gallery, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2018 – 4 a change, Vilnius design week 2018, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2018 – Ventura Future, Milan design week, Milan (Italy)
2018 – LITHUANIA 100 ESTONIA, Museum of New Art, Parnu (Estonia)
2017 – Whats next 2017, Art factory LOFTAS, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2017 – Maison & Objet, Paris design week, Paris (France)
2017 – La terrasse vol.4, Dutch Design Week, Eindhoven (The Netherlands)
2016 – Maison & Objet, Paris design week, Paris (France)
2015 – Maison & Objet, Paris design week, Paris (France)
2015 – Žilvinas Landzbergas. Crown Off, Contemporary Art Center, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2014 – Nida Action, Design Innovation Center, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2014 – Maison & Objet, Paris design week, Paris (France)
2014 – Personal exhibition together with Tauras Stalnionis, Design Week, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2013 – TAC (Temporary Art Centre), Dutch Design Week, Eindhoven (The Netherlands)
2013 – Eindhoven Design Academy Graduation show, Dutch Design Week, Eindhoven (The Netherlands)
2012 – Our enviroment - our nature - Eindhoven Design Academy, Dutch Design Week, Eindhoven (The Netherlands)
MARIJA PUIPAITĖ
Born 1987 in Vilnius, Lithuania
Lives and works in Vilnius, Lithuania
EDUCATION/RESIDENCIES
2018 – Cite Internationale Des Arts, Paris (France)
2013 – Contextual Design (MA) at the Design Academy Eindhoven (The Netherlands)
2006-2010 – product design (BA) at Vilnius Academy of Arts in 2010
EXHIBITIONS
2020 – Collectible Design fair, with VARTAI Gallery, Brussels (Belgium)
2019 – Alert objects, VARTAI Gallery, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2019 – Budapest Design Week festival, Budapest (Hungary)
2019 – Designsalon 2019, Europe’s Designing Women, Landesgalerien, Linz (Austria)
2019 – Envisioned Comfort, A-piece gallery, Do the Right Thing, Titanikas, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2018 – Abstract Expressions – Explorations in Jewellery Designs, Zaha Hadid Gallery, London (United Kingdom)
2018 – Le Off, Paris Design Week, Ground Control - 81 rue du Charolais, Paris (France)
2018 – Design Lithuania 2018, Palais Ducal, Caen (France)
2018 – now! le off, Paris design week, Paris (France)
2018 – Stories of Things Lithuanian Design 1918 - 2018, National Art Gallery, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2018 – 4 a change, Vilnius design week 2018, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2018 – Selected 2018, Out of the Frame, Neue Galerie Graz at Universalmuseum Joanneum, Graz (Austria)
2018 – Ventura Future, Milan design week, Milan (Italy)
2018 – Applied Arts and Design 1918-2018, Museum of Applied Arts and Design, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2017 – Fantasy, Vol. 4, Dutch Design Week, Eindhoven, (The Netherlands)
2017 – London Design Fair, Old Truman Brewery Hall S5, London (United Kingdom)
2017 – Mint design gallery, London Design Festival, 2 North Terrace, London (United Kingdom)
2017 – Age of Man, Milan Design Week, Ventura Lambrate, Milan (Italy)
2017 – Central Textile Museum in Lodz (Poland)
2017 – Muzeum Miasta Gdyni (Poland)
2017 – Museum of Applied Art and Design, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2017 – Nordic House, Reykjavík (Iceland)
2017 – Latvian National Museum of Art / Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, Riga (Latvia)
2017 – Estonian Museum of Applied Arts and Design (Tallinn)
2016 – Form/Design Center, Malmö (Sweden)
2016 – Embracing Touch (solo), ARgenTum Jewellery Art gallery of Vilnius Art Academy, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2016 – Dutch Design Week, Sectie C, Eindhoven (The Netherlands)
2015 – January, Generation 2015, Looiersgracht 60, Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
2014 – Design Academy Eindhoven Graduation Show, Dutch Design Week, Eindhoven (The Netherlands)
COLLECTIONS
Museum of Applied Arts and Design, Vilnius (Lithuania)
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STAND WITH UKRAINE
Auction exhibition 26 Apr - 31 May 2022Photos by Audrius SolominasRead more -
L’ÉTREINTE - EMBRACEMENT – GLAMONĖ
Group exhibition dedicated to the centenary of the birth of the famous Lithuanian modernist Antanas Mončys. 9 Sep - 5 Nov 2021Opening on 9 Septembe, 2021 at 6 PM 9 September – 5 November, 2021 Curators: Linas Bliškevičius and Yates Norton. Artists: Antanas Mončys and Arturas Bumšteinas, Viltė Bražiūnaitė & Tomas...Read more -
Personal Scale
Contemporary design exhibition 17 Jun - 5 Aug 2021Curators: Marija Puipaitė & Vytautas Gečas Participants: Agnė Kučerenkaitė (LT), Charlotte Jonckheer (BE), Corradino Garofalo (IT), Destroyers and Builders (BE), Joan Vellvé Rafecas (SP), Kiki & Joost (NL), Kotryna Butautytė...Read more -
Alert Objects
Group exhibition 13 Dec 2019 - 24 Jan 2020Curators: Vytautas Gečas and Marija Puipaitė Vartai gallery launches a new series of annual exhibitions dedicated to contemporary design. The aim of the project, realized in collaboration with Lithuanian and...Read more
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Galerija VARTAI at COLLECTIBLE SALON
28 - 30 May 2021Galerija VARTAI at the virtual contemporary design fair COLLECTIBLE! From May 28 -30, 2021, we will represent design projects by 9 individual and collaborative designers...Read more -
GRASSIMESSE 2020 International forum and a fair for applied arts and design
Leipzig, Germany 23 - 25 Oct 2020Gallery VARTAI on 23rd - 25th of October will be participating at Grassimesse 2020 design fair in Leipzig, Germany! Between 23 Lithuanian designers represented together...Read more -
Collectible, The Fair for 21st Century Design 2020
Brussels, Belgium 5 - 9 Mar 2020Presented designers Marija Puipaitė and Vytautas Gečas. Vartai gallery is pleased to have participated in the third edition contemporary design fair Collectible in Brussels. This...Read more
ARTICLES/INTERVIEWS
2017 – „Kuriu žmogui, kuris ieško“, in: Created in Lithuania, no.1, 2017
2017 – “Marija, jos objektai ir intymumas”, in: Namas ir aš, 2017-01
2013 – Emilija Švobaitė, “Pokalbis su Marija Puipaite”, in: Ore.lt, 2013-02-28
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Charity auction Stand With Ukraine
May 2, 2022On May 5, Galerija Vartai and National volunteer support coordination center 'Strong Together' will hold a charity auction of contemporary art and design - STAND...Read more -
Marija Puipaitė & Vytautas Gečas in "Architectural Digest" India
Dresser from series "Romance & Gravity" April 7, 2021We are very happy to share the news that a dresser from series 'Romance & Gravity', 2019 by emerging Lithuanian designers duo Marija Puipaitė &...Read more -
Marija Puipaitė & Vytautas Gečas in "Elle Decor" India
December 7, 2020Galerija VARTAI would like to congratulate two emerging Lithuanian designers Marija Puipaitė and Vytautas Gečas who were presented in the latest Elle Decor India issue...Read more -
GRASSIMESSE 2020 INTERNATIONAL FORUM AND A FAIR FOR APPLIED ARTS AND DESIGN
Leipzig, Germany October 20, 202023 - 25 OCTOBER 2020 GRASSI MUSEUM OF APPLIED ARTS Gallery VARTAI on 23rd - 25th of October will be participating at Grassimesse 2020 design...Read more -
Marija Puipaitė and Vytautas Gečas on The Guardian and ELLE
Envisioned Comfort September 15, 2020Gallery VARTAI is excited to share the media coverage of Marija Puipaitė and Vytautas Gečas on The Guardian and ELLE. 'Designs for the New Reality...Read more -
Marija Puipaitė and Vytautas Gečas at London Design Festival
Virtual Design Destination by Adorno September 15, 2020London Design Festival, 12-20 September 2020 Lithuanian designers Marija Puipaitė and Vytautas Gečas represented at Virtual Design Destination by Adorno. This is the place to...Read more -
Marija Puipaitė and Vytautas Gečas at Paris Design week
with COLLECTIBLE Curates August 26, 2020We are very happy to announce that Vartai gallery will participate at this year's Paris Design Week representing designers Marija Puipaitė and Vytautas Gečas. Furniture...Read more -
Marija Puipaitė and Vytautas Gečas on dezeen
Dezeen: Envisioned Comfort furniture collection pairs velvet seats with wooden frameworks July 5, 2020Article by Natashah Hitti 'Plush, tufted velvet seats are drooped over complex frameworks of interlocking wooden poles in this furniture collection by Marija Puipaitė and...Read more -
IDEAT features
Galerja Vartai presentation at Collectible Design Fair as one the the most interesting stands March 6, 2020Thanks to the autor Guy-Claude AgbotonRead more
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IGTV: Vartai UNLOCKED with Marija Puipaitė and Vytautas Gečas
Gallery VARTAI presents new IGTV series of artists and collectors' interviews, studio visits and special edition videos November 13, 2020This time gallery VARTAI visited two young emerging contemporary designers, Marija Puipaitė and Vytautas Gečas! Marija and Vytautas talked about their favourite design objects, their...Read more -
Koen Kleijn, art historian and writer shares his thoughts on contemporary design exhibition "Alert Objects" at Galerija VARTAI.
December 18, 2019Read more -
Talk 5: What contemporary design can do?
Conversation with Koen Kleijn, Vytautas Gečas and Marija Puipaitė, moderated by Mantas Lesauskas December 12, 2019Galerija VARTAI presents: TALK Nr. 5 with designers Vytautas Gečas and Marija Puipaitė, art historian and writer Koen Kleijn, moderated by assoc. Prof. in Vilnius...Read more
