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 depicts an abstract landscape characterized by vibrant contrasts and a heavily textured surface. Dominant hues of red and white interact dynamically across the canvas; the red, possibly representing a strikingly vivid sky, shades into deep crimson and bright scarlet tones, while the white may suggest stark, skeletal forms of trees against this intense backdrop. Dashes of black inject depth, adding a graphic quality that punctuates the composition. The texture is thick and palpable, where the paint is applied liberally, creating a tactile, almost sculptural effect. The colors bleed and merge into one another, with occasional hints of grey and pink softening the overall impact, suggesting subtleties within the chaos. The use of a bold palette and pronounced texture might evoke a sense of emotional fervor, reflecting a natural scene not just seen but felt.
