Mindaugas Junčys
In his works, sculptor Mindaugas Junčys questions the categories of beauty and the notions of art, kitsch and the popular culture. The artist prefers two ways to shape his creations: the abstract one, when the sculptures feature only associative allusions to the environment, and the realistic one, featuring perfectly recognisable everyday objects. In the latter, the artist emphasises a rather unique synthesis between a domestic yet an expressive form, and luxurious materials frequently used in the classical sculpture, like marble, granite or bronze. Such method of creation and a long and difficult process working with the said materials offers an ironic approach to the work and provokes a critical look at the creation of art and beauty only for the sake of beauty. The works of Junčys feature various social and cultural phenomena and turn them into objects that encourage to rethink the reality.
Born 1977 in Kėdainiai, Lithuania
Lives and works in Vilnius, Lithuania
Education
2005–2008 Vilnius Academy of Arts, Master’s degree in Sculpture
2001–2005 Vilnius Academy of Arts, Bachelor’s degree in Sculpture
1995–1999 Telšiai Higher School of Applied Arts, Sculpture studies
1989–1993 Kėdainiai Children’s Art School
Member of Lithuanian Artists’ Association since 2011
Solo exhibitions
2011 One of the Criteria, (AV17) Gallery, Vilnius
Group exhibitions
2021 (Im)perfect garden, St. John street gallery, Vilnius, Lithuania
2021 VOLTA, art fair Bazel, Switzerland
2021 The international form art festival FAKTAS-FORMA / FACT-FORM, KKKC, Klaipėda, Lithuania
2020 Exhibition, “Europa city” hotel, Vilnius
2019 Meetings, St. Jono Street Gallery, Vilnius
2019 Da Vinci Code 500, Glass gallery, Utena, Lithuania
2018 Christmas miniatures exhibition, “Ra” gallery, Vilnius
2018 Positions Art Fair, Berlin
2018 For Lithuania’s 100th anniversary, M. Mažvydas Library Gallery, Vilnius
2017 Individualists, Dusetos Gallery, Dusetos, Lithuania
2017 “Sodo” Gallery, Kairėnai, Lithuania
2014 Vilnius/Berlin, Kunstverein Tiergarten, Galerie Nord, Berlin
2014 Art for Home, Domus gallery, Vilnius
2014 CAUTION! Mind the Object!, gallery “POST“, Kaunas, Lithuania
2013 Vilnius-Berlin, St. Jono Street Gallery, Vilnius
2012-2016 Exhibition of the international bronze symposium „Skulptoriai skaito Donelaitį“, Lithuania, Germany, Belarus, Karaliaučius, Poland
2012 Exhibition of young sculptors bronze casting symposium “Gurgutis 2010 – 2012“, St. Jono Street Gallery, Vilnius
2012 Exhibition of the international bronze symposium „Skulptoriai skaito Donelaitį“, St. Jono Street Gallery, Vilnius
2011 Small plastic sculpture exhibition, „Little Gallery”, Druskininkai, Lithuania
2011 Sculpture of the year 10, St. Jono Street Gallery, Vilnius
2010 Sculpture of the year 9, St. Jono Street Gallery, Vilnius
2009 Exhibition of young artists coming from Kedainiai, Multicultural center, Kedainiai, Lithuania
2008 Art cells, The exhibition of Vilnius Art Academy students, Vilnius
2006 Buterbrodas-Butterbote, Stuttgart, Germany
2006 Self-objects, Museum of the Radvilas Palace, Vilnius
2004 Sculptures, Craft Guild, Vilnius
2003 Here welcome, Contemporary Art Center, Vilnius
2003 The exhibition of Vilnius Art Academy sculpture department students, Sapnu Fabrika, Riga
1996-1999 Exhibitions of student artworks, Exhibition Hall, Telšiai, Lithuania
Workshops/Symposiums
2012 Young sculptors bronze casting symposium „Gurgutis 2012“, Vilnius, Lithuania
2011 World fire sculpture competition (team together with K.Musteikis and E.Girkontas) (1st place), Tallinn
2008 Sculpture “Rippling”, International Stone Sculpture Symposium “Vilnoja “(2nd place), Suderve, Vilnius district, Lithuania
2008 Sculpture “Upwind”, International Stone Sculpture Symposium “Stone Age IV”, Šventoji, Lithuani
2007 Sculpture “By The Sea”, International Stone Sculpture Symposium “Stone Age III” (1st place), Šventoji, Lithuania
2006 Sculpture “Chair”, International Stone Sculpture Symposium “Stone Age II” (1st place), Šventoji, Lithuania
2005 Sculpture “From inside“, Stone Sculpture Symposium in J.Lipchitz Sculpture Park, Druskininkai, Lithuania
2002 „XVIII medal makers workshop” in Telšiai, Lithuania
Sculptures in public places
2020 sculpture “Archangel Michael”, Plikišliai village, Vilnius county, Lithuania
2018 bas-relief “For Kėdainiai Battle”, Kėdainiai, Lithuania
2018 sculpture “The Prophet Elijah” Merkinė, Lithuania
2017 sculpture for the first schools patronized by Radvilas, Nemunėlio Radviliškis, Biržai county, Lithuania
2017 memorial plaque for poet Kazys Bradūnas, Vilnius
2015 sculpture-bench “Red”, Antakalnis, Vilnius
2015 Statue of Pope John Paul II, Elektrėnai, Lithuania
2014 sculpture “Žemyna”, Sirvėtos regional park, Lithuania
2012 Statue of Pope John Paul II, Šiauliai, Lithuania
2010 Sculpture of Lithuanian actor and artistic director -Donatas Banionis, Druskininkai, Lithuania
2003 The sculpture “Wheel”, Tales park, Vilnius
Awards/Grants
2020 Competition for the monument for Mykolas Biržiška, Rasos cemetery, Vilnius
2012 Maria Zabielaite Memorial sculpture idea competition, Jonava, 1-th place
2011 „Sculpture of the year 10“ diploma for the high technical mastery nurturing
2010 Grant awarded by the Vilnius city mayor for young artists