Mindaugas Navakas
Mindaugas Navakas is one of the most prominent figures in Lithuanian contemporary sculpture. His work played a significant role in the transformation of sculptural practice during the 1980s and the 1990s and in the development of contemporary art in Lithuania. His artistic practice is distinguished by its attention to materiality, scale, and the relationship between the object and its environment. Throughout his career, Navakas has consistently explored the possibilities of sculpture by combining diverse materials, forms, and cultural contexts. Monumental forms, precise construction, and a sensitive engagement with architectural and urban environments remain defining characteristics of his work. His sculptural objects have been exhibited extensively in public spaces, with many becoming integral elements of urban landscapes in Lithuania and abroad.
Presented during the summer season, “On Green” reveals a less familiar aspect of Navakas’ artistic practice. Here, the artist appears to move away from the monumentality that has long characterized his work, instead turning towards found objects and organic forms. The exhibition reconsiders the universality of cultural symbols and explores the dialogue between different traditions, histories, and local contexts. Employing his characteristic subtle irony and sarcasm, Navakas examines the ways in which history is interpreted and represented. Throughout the exhibition, the colour green functions not only as a visual leitmotif but also as a conceptual tool, connecting diverse contexts and opening multiple perspectives on how the world may be perceived.
At the center of the exhibition are butterbur leaves – the largest leaves in Lithuania – displayed on bamboo drying racks. Together, they evoke associations with clothing and the concealment of historical nakedness. In doing so, the artist questions a long standing paradox in the history of art, namely the traditional religious representation in which the miniature fig leaf, preserving both anatomy and decorum, serves merely as a sign of sin while overlooking the abundant vegetation of Paradise that could have covered the entire body. Green quartzite slabs are seamlessly integrated into this cultural narrative. Visually recalling the Tablets of Law given to Moses, they reference the canonical tradition of representation while subtly challenging its perceived inviolability. By paring these established symbols with elements of everyday life, Navakas deconstructs their authority, dismantling the seemingly immutable power they have long embodied. The exhibition invites viewers to reflect on their extent to which cultural symbols constrain us, and the extent to which they offer refuge within an ever-changing world.
Mindaugas Navakas is a Lithuanian sculptor who has been actively exhibiting in Lithuania and internationally since 1977. For many years, he taught at the Department of Sculpture at the Vilnius Academy of Arts. Among numerous international exhibitions, his work was presented at the inaugural Gwangju Biennale in 1995, and in 1999 he became the first artist, together with Eglė Rakauskaitė, to represent Lithuania at the 48th Venice Biennale. His works are held in national museums and private collections in Lithuania and abroad.
The exhibition “On Green” will be on view at (AV17) Gallery, located at Totorių Str. 5, Vilnius, Lithuania from July 22 until August 26.
