Nerijus Erminas solo show “What Is My Name?”

Nerijus Erminas is a conceptual sculptor. His works are characterised by sensitive transformation of reality into surreal and subconscious experiences. The narrative installations created by the artist transform easily recognisable elements of human life and everyday situations turning them in an unusual direction distant from the reality, while the viewer is caught in a never—ending play of meanings. Unstructured stories told in the work of Erminas are created by consistently studying situations seen as insignificant by the viewers. This creative strategy chosen by the artist as well as subjective approach encourages the viewers to notice things that would otherwise go unnoticed. Stories behind the work of Erminas take shape in the process of observing and analysing everyday rituals, interpreting both cultural and political context, history, religion, and expressing personal as well as collective experience. At exhibitions, individual objects are arranged following the principles similar to those employed in scenography, avoiding redundancy and getting a deeper understanding of intrinsic connections between the objects. The artist uses his sensitive compositions to analyse universally relevant and familiar topics, focusing on the emotional experience.

In the retrospective exhibition “What Is My Name”, Nerijus Erminas explores themes of identity that are particularly relevant to the artist, presenting carefully selected works that seem to respond to the question posed by the title. By exhibiting pieces from various periods of his creative career, the artist offers two interpretative layers. The exhibition title can be seen as a personal address, where the questioner, already aware of the answers, encourages viewers to remain in a state of ongoing exploration. Conversely, the works can also be understood as references that prompt the audience not only to ask questions but also to discover subtle and personal answers. Through this conceptual play, the exhibition vividly reveals features characteristic of Erminas’s artistic approach—irony, the search for identity, unconventional material usage, and inventive compositional arrangements. The installation employs self-contained objects arranged in a manner similar to scenography, avoiding verbosity and delving into the internal histories of the items, as well as their interrelations and associations. The atmosphere created by Nerijus Erminas immerses viewers in a unique artistic experience and invites them to engage in deeper, multi-layered reflections on fundamental questions related to their own and others’ identities and selfhood.

The presentation of Nerijus Erminas’s exhibition “What Is My Name” is part of a larger project by the AV17 gallery, during which the works of Lithuanian contemporary artists showcased in Lithuanian cities beyond the capital. Alongside Nerijus Erminas’s solo show, Andrius Erminas’ exhibition will open in the exhibition space of the Pasvalys County Museum in September, and Dainius Trumpas’s exhibition will open at the Gargždai Local History Museum in October.

Nerijus Erminas (b. 1976) – 1994-1998 studied sculpture at Telšiai Higher School of Applied Arts, 1999-2005 continued his bachelor’s studies in sculpture at the Vilnius Academy of Arts, 2005-2007. received a master’s degree in sculpture. Actively participates in group and solo exhibitions in Lithuania and widely: in China, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Holland, America, and elsewhere. In 2012, he was awarded a jury prize for the best presentation of a sculpture at the contemporary art fair ArtVilnius. Nerijus Erminas was awarded the scholarship for creators of art and culture by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania in 2012 and 2016. The author’s works have been acquired by private and museum collections.