Artwork in the room
Daiva Staškevičienė, born in 1968 in Vilnius, is a Lithuanian artist known for her detailed and imaginative work.
Daiva Staškevičienė’s artistic journey began in childhood and later continued through formal studies, culminating in a Master’s degree in Graphic Art at the Vilnius Academy of Arts. Having studied under the prominent Lithuanian graphic artist Leonas Lagauskas, her work is grounded in precision, structure, and strong composition.
Her graphic work is highly detailed, yet it goes beyond technical skill. Carefully constructed scenes open into a symbolic, subtly surreal world, where elements drawn from imagination, nature, and folklore emerge gradually. Each work reveals new layers over time.
Alongside printmaking, she has developed a strong painting practice. Working in oil, Staškevičienė employs the glazing technique, building her images through thin, translucent layers to create a rich sense of materiality. Her figures—faces that do not represent specific individuals—feel timeless and slightly mythical. Set against nearly flat, undefined backgrounds, they seem to float between surface and space.
Her work connects to the ideas of André Breton, who described surrealism as a meeting point between dream and reality. In her work, this connection appears gently, creating images that feel both familiar and subtly uncanny.
Graphic works are produced in limited editions, while paintings are unique pieces, making them especially valued by collectors.
About this artwork+
The painting showcases a complex and fantastical array of elements layered over and emerging from the profile of a young woman's face. The details include mechanical parts, perhaps indicative of a steampunk aesthetic, blended intricately with more organic components like leaves and possibly bird-like forms. The face of the woman is serene and finely drawn, showing delicate features under what seems to be a headdress or a confluence of various objects and creatures. This otherworldly hat includes gears, dials, and possibly wires or threads, suggesting movement or energy, while naturalistic details, such as feathers and floral motifs, add a soft, earthy touch to the technological. The composition creates a striking contrast between the mechanical and natural worlds, using a palette of muted earth tones punctuated by hints of red that draw the eye across the arrangement. The overall effect is both dreamlike and intricate, inviting the viewer to uncover the narrative or symbolism hidden within this amalgamation.
