Artwork in the room
Rytas Jurgelis, a prominent Lithuanian artist, has been a member of the Union of Lithuanian Artists since 1995. Over the course of his career, he has held almost thirty solo exhibitions, presenting his work throughout Lithuania and abroad. His ongoing engagement with the arts scene underscores both his substantial contribution and the recognition he has earned within the artistic community.
Jurgelis’s paintings stand out for their distinct treatment of color and texture and for his steadfast admiration of geometric shapes, particularly the square. This combination produces an impressive range of artwork, yet there remains a gentle lyricism unmistakable in his style. By repeatedly incorporating squares, he brings both structure and formal clarity to his compositions.
Instead of emphasizing color contrasts, Jurgelis seeks harmony and the combined effect of hues. In his art, color becomes a vehicle for conveying emotional states, enriched by the tangible specifics of oil paint. He highlights the material nature of his medium through various finishes—matte or glossy—as well as through texture, sgraffito, and pronounced relief. Through a careful process of adding layer upon layer, he achieves surfaces that distinctly display their method of creation, appealing to both the eye and the touch.
These densely layered, textured surfaces do more than create unique visual and emotional environments—they also suggest connections to other senses, like taste or scent. Each square field in his paintings serves as a platform for emotional interplay or unspoken stories, encouraging viewers to interpret them through the lens of their own experience. Jurgelis subtly directs the viewer’s response with gentle hints, while deliberately maintaining ample room for personal interpretation and emotional engagement.
About this artwork+
The painting showcases a minimalist abstract style, focusing on textured strokes and a restrained color palette mostly comprising black, white, and shades of gray. The composition is divided into three main vertical sections with a rough, almost torn seam serving as a transition between each. The left section features dense, dark black tones layered heavily, which seamlessly bleed into the central section that is dominated by white hues with subtle undertones of gray. This part displays heavy, textured strokes often scraping through to the underlying layers, revealing depths of white and gray that emulate the tactile quality of accumulated snow. The third section begins with an abrupt, ragged divide where black reasserts itself, dense and opaque. Small, punctuating splashes of red provide a sharp contrast, suggesting perhaps the accidental beauty of a few scattered berries or a bird hidden and peeking through a snowy landscape. The overall impression is both stark and contemplative, evoking the quiet and introspective atmosphere of a snow-covered scene.
