Artwork in the room
Aurelija Kairytė Smolianskienė is a painter whose artwork has been featured in numerous local exhibitions throughout Lithuania. She adeptly merges watercolour and oil on canvas, delving into the dynamic relationship between these two mediums to craft vibrant and harmonious compositions. By making deliberate choices in materials, she is able to experiment with both translucency and texture, producing paintings that capture delicate nuances of colour and form.
Residing on an animal farm nestled within the Lithuanian countryside, Aurelija is constantly surrounded by unspoiled forests and tranquil velvet lakes that inspire her artistic vision each day. The magical landscape and its wealth of natural beauty frequently appear as repeating motifs in her paintings. Moreover, local folk legends and the fantasies sparked by them nurture her imagination, playing a significant role in shaping her visual narratives.
Drawing extensively on her own experiences and emotions, Aurelija’s work remains deeply personal while also resonating with a wider audience. As an artist whose roots are grounded in rural Lithuania, she recognizes that her imagery defies straightforward interpretation, weaving together passing recollections, regional myths, and silent dreams. This sense of mystery encourages viewers to engage with her art through their own individual perspectives.
Academically trained in the arts, she completed her studies at the National School of Art. In 2008, Aurelija earned a Master of Arts degree from the Vilnius Academy of Arts in Lithuania, a significant achievement that has further fostered her development as an artist.
About this artwork+
The painting depicts two figures seated closely together against a vibrant red-pink background. The figure on the left, with alert blue eyes and a flushed complexion, gazes directly at the viewer, her lips pursed as if in mid-conversation or contemplation. She is adorned in a pink dress, and her blonde hair is styled simply. The figure on the right wears a large, enigmatic mask reminiscent of those seen in traditional Venetian celebrations. The mask is bluish-green with hints of aqua around the eyes, which are wide and staring. It features a long, curved beak-like nose. This masked figure also wears a pink outfit, and they hold a plate with a colorful cake or tart adorned with yellow and red dots, symbols perhaps of fruits or decorative elements. The intimacy and contrast between the two figures—the bare, expressive human face and the inscrutable mask—suggest themes of hidden emotions or identities, the interplay between what is revealed and what is concealed.
