ARTIST INTERVIEW: Linas Kaziulionis
Lithuanian artist Linas Kaziulionis paints a captivating mural at the Embassy of Lithuania in New Delhi, India.
Les Couleurs Miami Beach presents an exclusive interview with Linas Kaziulionis, a highly acclaimed artist who has garnered recognition as the recipient of the "Young Painters Prize" (2022) in the Baltics and the esteemed "MarteLive" prize (2022), awarded to him as the best muralist in Europe. With a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Painting from Vilnius Art Academy and the prestigious professional artist status granted by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, Kaziulionis has established himself as a prominent figure in the art world over the past decade. Join us today as we delve into the captivating journey and exceptional talent of this rising star from the Baltics.
LIUDVIKAS JAKAVICIUS: Hello Linas. Thank you for your time in agreeing to give us this interview. How did you first become interested in art and what drew you to painting specifically?
LINAS KAZIULIONIS: The world of art has surrounded me since I was a child, and I got into it very intuitively: I voluntarily started attending an art school when I was still a child, followed by the Kaunas Art Gymnasium, bachelor and master painting studies at the Vilnius Academy of Arts. As far as I remember, there were no other thoughts about other activities. Interestingly, when I was studying at art school, I became more interested not in academic painting, but in street art. Maybe because I liked to spend a lot of time in the yard, in nature, being active, and somehow I got spray graffiti paint in my hands, I started hanging out at night painting on the walls of abandoned buildings, looking for more interesting and extreme places to paint, etc. While at school, I got my first income for drawing and painting and little by little I realized that this could become my main activity and source of livelihood. That is how I “grew” myself as a creator, formed my own style, gained experience, got involved in various art projects, etc. I have been actively creating like this for almost 15 years.
LIUDVIKAS JAKAVICIUS: Can you tell us about your experience studying at Vilnius Art Academy and how it has influenced your artistic style?
LINAS KAZIULIONIS: I am glad that I had the opportunity to experience and get to know different departments and professors. I studied the first two courses of my bachelors degree at the Kaunas faculty of the Vilnius Academy of Arts, the painting department, then I stopped and finished the remaining courses in Vilnius. I continued my masters painting studies in Vilnius. All experiences were very interesting and important, according to the study program I went through different disciplines and creative tasks in small steps. During my studies, I not only painted pictures, but also analyzed different researched topics, participated in seminars, meetings with teachers and classmates, and also selectively touched on other subjects, e.g. color psychology and others. During my studies, I also took advantage of the opportunities of the Erasmus exchange program, after my masters studies, I went to a graduate internship in Italy.
I think that the studies were important and useful for me as a growing painter. I dont think they shaped or influenced my painting style, they gave me more practical, analytical knowledge. Masters studies were memorable, perhaps because our course was relatively small compared to bachelor studies, which led to a closer and closer relationship with the lecturers, and here I also went deeper into the researched topic, which I develop further.
LIUDVIKAS JAKAVICIUS: Your muralistsc works have become a defining feature of your portfolio. Can you talk about your process for creating large-scale murals and how you choose your subject matter?
LINAS KAZIULIONIS: When painting large-format murals in a public space, I always take into account the area, its history, the surrounding environment, architecture, I consider how it will fit into the environment, or conversely, how it will play with it. The choice of topics also depends on the current affairs of the time, my own interests, as well as their choice sometimes determines whether I initiate the project myself or it is one of the other project parts. For example I painted the piece “Dont look for a corner” while participating in a social campaign that promoted sorting, so it is clear that the theme of the piece is dictated by the message of this campaign, e.g. I painted the work “Information bubble” taking into account the current events of the time when the pandemic started and all fake news was a very escalating topic, with this work and message I invited people to be more careful in choosing the information presented. For example, in “Open Gallery” I painted bright, playful murals, because bright colors are very suitable in an urban environment where many events take place, and for example, mural “The Painter” in Kaunas is painted very delicately but at the same time with an interesting idea, since the wall is in the old town, in the cultural heritage area, I wanted to find a balance between the nearby architecture and mural art. Thus, the selection of topics and the creation of sketches is one of the most complex stages and processes that require a lot of analysis. Later, technical matters begin - obtaining permits from the owner, the municipality, preparing for painting: mixing colors, choosing tools, renting suitable equipment - I choose and rent a lift based on the accessibility and height of the wall. Even a different wall structure can dictate a different drawing technique. I also sometimes have to plaster in places, properly prepare the wall, it is important for me that the drawing does not fall off after a week due to improper preparation. This is probably not important for the longevity of the drawing, but more for the professional side. Everyone probably knows that if I paint a mural, it will be painted not 10, but 100 percent with quality, starting from the idea, sketches and ending with the final result.
LIUDVIKAS JAKAVICIUS: You won the Young Painter Prize in 2022 and were named the Best Young Painter in the Baltic States. How did it feel to receive this recognition?
LINAS KAZIULIONIS: Winning the “Young Painters Prize 2022” of the Baltic States is extremely significant and important for me as a painter in terms of its prestige and the opportunities that have opened up. The competition commission was international, including influential art experts from Paris - such an assessment allows me to verify that my work is not only evaluated locally. The winning work was included in the collection of the Lithuanian National Art Institute (LDG), which means - in the art history of the country, which is truly an honor for me. Along with the win, the opportunities to hold exhibitions opened up: in September. an exhibition is planned in Paris, H Gallery, in November - in Pamenkalnis Gallery, and I also have a 2-month residency in Reykjavik, Iceland. That month was especially fun, because a few days later I received a message that another international competition “MarteLive” recognized me as the best mural artist in Europe. It is worth noting that it is important not only to celebrate this victory, but also to work hard and use all the opportunities that have opened up. Immediately after the wins, I agreed on a solo exhibition in New York (USA) (took place in March), I went to do mural in New Delhi (India), and in addition to the aforementioned solo exhibitions in Paris (France) and Vilnius (Lithuania), I will hold one each in Brussels (Belgium) and In Trakai Voke (Lithuania) - and all this in one year.
LIUDVIKAS JAKAVICIUS: Your works often combine classical art with modern themes and technology. Can you discuss the inspiration behind this approach?
LINAS KAZIULIONIS: Some art theorists call this period metamodernism - I also aim to say something new with my work, but remain sincere and reflect on the impact of innovation on society. Much has been created in the world, painting should not repeat the beauty of nature or play only in artistic forms. It is important for me to harmonize everything: canons of art, interpretations of messages from art history, contemporary issues. In this way, the work becomes conceptual, not just a decoration. In addition to this, I also aim for the work of art to be read not only by art professionals, but also by the public: I want to bring the message to a wide circle of people, not to be confined only to the discussions of academics.
LIUDVIKAS JAKAVICIUS: What are your thoughts and experience with NFTs? Do you think NFTs are the future of art?
LINAS KAZIULIONIS: I have my own NFT project “minted” (http://minted.lt), when I divide one mural sketch into boxes, inviting people to buy them. I have found NFT to be a good tool for selling large format street art. However, after going through the entire process of creating and selling NFT, actively participating in discord and reddit discussions, I realized that 90% of the success of the NFT project is PR, it has little to do with art and its quality. Since my goal is to create, I have left the NFT area, but maybe I will come back someday.
LIUDVIKAS JAKAVICIUS: How do you balance creating works for public spaces, like murals, versus more intimate pieces, like your small-format oil paintings?
LINAS KAZIULIONIS: I dont have any particular strategy, I just enjoy the advantages of both media - a mural allows you to express yourself on a particularly large area, and at the same time it requires an adapted composition, color and consideration of details. The theme is often universal, and the implementation is understandable to the public. Here I particularly like to apply appropriation, to flirt with icons of art history that the general audience knows. Meanwhile, oil paintings allow you to delve into the nuances of implementation, color and light. The cycles of paintings have clear themes, a lot of analytical and theoretical justification.
LIUDVIKAS JAKAVICIUS: Can you walk us through your creative process, from conception to execution, for a new painting or mural?
LINAS KAZIULIONIS: The creative process of a street art drawing begins with the analysis of the area where I draw. It is important for me that the drawing relates to the place, its history, and that the drawing also fits with the existing architecture. Then the creative process moves to a piece of paper and a pencil or computer programs that I use to create sketches. The creation of sketches is the longest and most complex process that I spend the most time on. Well, the other stages are more technical or documentary stages - obtaining permits from the owner or owners of the building, permission from the municipality, sometimes from the department of cultural heritage, if the wall of the building is in a protected area. After receiving all the necessary permits, the technical stages begin - choosing a drawing technique, renting a lift, buying paints, mixing them, choosing tools. Next comes wall painting, the duration of painting depends on the complexity of the drawing, the size of the wall, even weather conditions and other, sometimes even extreme, conditions. Lets not forget that after the drawing is painted, I also take care of the drawings publicity: press release, communication with journalists, there are also filming on television, live broadcasts, publicity on social networks - all this takes a lot of time.
The process of painting on canvas looks completely different. I spend even more time creating sketches, the painting itself takes even weeks, sometimes even months. If personal painting exhibitions are planned, other processes also arise - I plan the concept of the exhibition, the exposition of the exhibition, create publicity posters, publicize. If the exhibition is abroad, then I deal with logistical issues, transportation of paintings and other matters. I am happy with my cooperation with the international art expert Ornela Ramasauskaite (head of artXchange Global), who helps me both in terms of art management and marketing, as well as by mentoring me on the nuances of creation. It is especially important for an artist to have an expert with whom they can discuss the content without fear of being influenced - it is like an exercise of the mind to achieve maximum quality.
LIUDVIKAS JAKAVICIUS: You have participated in interdisciplinary and painting projects. Can you tell us about one of your most memorable collaborative projects and what you learned from it?
LINAS KAZIULIONIS: There were an infinite number of such projects and all of them with different nuances and experiences, it would be difficult to single out just one. Each project brings different challenges and even adventures. But lets try to remember. I think one of the most memorable was the “Dadaist Mona Lisa” maybe even though it was one of the most technically complex murals and innovative even on a global scale, because I used a 3D effect and elements that allow me to modify the drawing with the help of technology. I remember the mural “Dancer2”, which was dedicated to the famous Kaunas dance theater “Aura” because of its extremely beautiful opening, it was the dancers of this theater who opened the painting while dancing next to the wall and presented it to the public. I painted the mural “Dont look for a corner” on a particularly busy street in Vilnius, I remember it with a smile, practically every day the police and other authorities came to check my permission to draw. Absolutely all the murals drawn abroad, starting from Thailand, India or ending in Italy, Kosovo were extremely memorable due to cultural changes or environment. As I mentioned, there were an endless number of projects and I could probably tell very interesting stories about each drawing process.
LIUDVIKAS JAKAVICIUS: You hold official professional artist status provided by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania. Can you discuss the importance of this recognition for your career?
LINAS KAZIULIONIS: I think that any recognition given to you is important, this one too, especially given by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania. This status has other benefits. When receiving this status, an artists support number is also granted, which means that individuals or legal entities can designate a portion of personal income taxes when declaring their income in Lithuania every year. I use this advantage every year, and I invite everyone who is interested in art and who wants to contribute to my work or become my small patrons to dedicate this part. I am glad that my small patrons are increasing every year
LIUDVIKAS JAKAVICIUS: What advice would you give to aspiring artists, especially those interested in muralistsc art?
LINAS KAZIULIONIS: It is a process that requires a lot of not only creative, but also physical work, so a lot of work and practice, practice and practice again. I will probably wish to achieve your goals and not give up, even if something doesn’t work out or doesn’t come very quickly.
