Mindaugas Šnipas
Mindaugas Šnipas is a sculptor recognized both in Lithuania and abroad, whose work continues a long-developed style and distinctive mode of expression. Within Lithuania’s long-standing tradition of wooden sculpture, Šnipas’ creations stand out as multi-layered, minimalist objects of chiseled, aged wood. His works are known for the combination of found objects and sculptural elements, which generates a peculiar sense of paradox. Šnipas’ early artistic practice was marked by chamber-sized works in a noble yet austere material – bronze – reflecting the influence of senior colleagues and the formal attitudes of that period. Gradually, his sculptures acquired greater conceptual weight and a shifting formal expression, alongside bronze incorporating stone and wood. Although closely linked to archaism and Lithuanian tradition, the rough qualities of these materials were revealed through traces of the creative process and of the idea itself.
Mindaugas Šnipas (b. 1960) graduated from the State Art Institute of Lithuania (now the Vilnius Academy of Arts) in 1984. Since 1986, he has participated in symposia, as well as solo and group exhibitions. He taught at the National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Arts from 1987 to 1989 and again from 1997 to 2012. He has been a faculty member at the Vilnius Academy of Arts since 1989. In addition, he taught at Holbæk Higher School of Arts from 1993 to 1995, and at the Lahti Design Institute in 1996. Alongside his exhibition work, Šnipas is also active in the field of monumental commissioned sculpture. His works have been acquired by the Lithuanian Art Museum, the Rauma Cultural Council, and private collections in the USA, Australia, Hungary, Denmark, Lithuania, and other countries.
