Mindaugas Navakas
Works of Mindaugas Navakas are well-known even to those who don’t have a specific interest in art, since his colossal sculptural objects are an important part of both Lithuanian and abroad public spaces and buildings. These are works such as “The Hook” on the former palace of railway workers in Vilnius, “Two-Storey” next to Neris river or “Four Large Reliant Sculptures” next to MO museum. Navakas is a part of the generation that in the 70s – 80s revived the expression of sculpture as well as contributed to the whole conceptual change of sculpture in Lithuania. Navakas is more of a sculptor-researcher, constantly analysing various materials. He does not avoid working with huge scale sculptures, nor with smaller plastics, photography or graphic art. Navakas allows the material be the answer to sometimes serious, sometimes ironic point of view to the surroundings.
In the exhibition “China” at gallery (AV17), Mindaugas Navakas has presented his most recent objects made out of porcelain. While researching one of the most valuable materials of ceramics, author unlocks the expressive nature and aesthetic refinery of the material. While giving special attention to the space of the exhibition, sculptor creates the atmosphere of hygienic whiteness, thus emphasising some of the most important achievements of civilization – sanitation and the mastered craft of porcelain making. Objects are combined altogether with ready-mades that have accumulated their own stories, thus multiplying the layers of meanings and opening up references into various cultural and social contexts. In this exhibition the precision of forms and the aesthetic of the material come together, retaining the metaphysical and existential sentiment that are common to Navakas works.
Mindaugas Navakas (b. 1952) is a Lithuanian sculptor, since 1977 he actively participates in exhibitions in Lithuania and abroad, for a long time he was lecturing at Vilnius Academy of Fine Arts, in the department of Sculpture. Among other exhibitions, the works of the artist were shown in the first biennale of Gwangju in 1995, he was also the first (together with artist Egle Rakauskaite) to represent Lithuania in the 48th Venice Biennale in 1999. In 1995 he received Herder prize, in 1999 he was the recipient of Lithuanian National Culture and Art Prize as well as the Baltic assembly prize in 2004. Works of Mindaugas Navakas are owned by the Lithuanian museum of art, private collections in Lithuania and abroad.
