Artwork in the room
Martynas Ivinskas is an artist born in Kaunas, Lithuania, and currently living and working between Vilnius and Brussels. His practice moves freely between painting, drawing, objects, collage and assemblage, deliberately resisting strict boundaries between artistic forms and media.
Ivinskas is drawn to what surrounds him: the city, people, music, architecture, everyday objects, and the constant visual noise of contemporary life. He observes his environment, breaks it down into fragments, and reconstructs it into new, sometimes absurd, sometimes playful, but always distinctly personal forms. In his work, order is constantly confronted with chaos, while reality meets imagination.
The city becomes a kind of playground in Ivinskas's practice. Musicians, instruments, buildings, human figures, signs, and fragments of everyday life overlap, repeat, and intertwine, forming complex visual networks. Rather than asking the viewer simply to "read" an artwork, Ivinskas invites them to get lost in it - to search for familiar forms, create their own associations, and discover something they may not have been looking for in the first place.
He frequently works with unconventional surfaces and materials, ranging from city maps to jute coffee sacks and everyday objects. In his practice, a painting can move beyond the canvas, a collage can become an object, and an ordinary item can acquire an entirely different life. This unrestricted relationship with materials and media is central to his creative approach.
Ivinskas's exhibitions function as works in their own right. Individual paintings, objects, and fragments are deliberately brought together into visually intense, sometimes chaotic environments. Art critic Paulius Garbačiauskas has described this approach as a "fragmented reality" - a carefully constructed chaos in which chance becomes part of the artistic method.
Ivinskas has presented solo exhibitions in Lithuania and the United States, including DUO 02/16 at Hangar Gallery in Santa Monica, 10'000 signatures at gallery Building Bridges Art Exchange in Santa Monica, Colorful Society at Bruce Lurie Gallery in Los Angeles, and …on the maps at Vilnius City Hall. His work has also been presented internationally in group exhibitions, including exhibitions at the Louvre in Paris and Times Square in New York.
Ivinskas's work is difficult to define through a single technique, medium, or stylistic vocabulary. And that is not a problem to be solved. On the contrary, the freedom to choose, combine, and experiment is one of the defining characteristics of his practice.
About this artwork+
The painting "Baltic road. Goddess" is an intricate and colorful artwork filled with vibrant hues and compelling symbolism. Dominated by a striking palette of yellow, red, blue, and green, it features abstract and semi-abstract forms interlocking and overlapping in a dynamic composition. The central figure appears to be a stylized, goddess-like form with elements reminiscent of both human and aquatic features, suggesting a mythological theme. This figure is depicted with flowing, wavy lines that suggest movement, perhaps symbolizing the fluidity of nature or the sea. One of the most striking elements of the figure is what appears to be an eye, rendered in a detailed, almost surrealistic manner, which draws the viewer’s attention directly. Surrounding this central figure are various abstract shapes and motifs, including what could be interpreted as suns, waves, and perhaps fish, which all reinforce the natural, elemental themes of the piece. The color blocks are divided by thick black lines that add a graphic quality to the work, enhancing its visual impact. Icons and small symbols, such as crosses and circles, are scattered throughout the painting, adding a layer of mystery and potential symbolic meaning that could be open to interpretation. The background, comprised of a grid of letters and numbers like a printed document, contrasts with the vivid main elements, possibly hinting at a narrative or a cultural commentary overlaying traditional aesthetic expressions. Overall, the painting is a rich tapestry of color, shape, and symbolism, reflecting a deep connection to nature, mythology, and perhaps specific cultural narratives tied to the Baltic region.
