Artwork in the room
Vaiva Kovieraitė Trumpė is a contemporary artist whose work investigates the frontiers of serigraphy and mixed media, establishing a unique visual approach. Renowned for her quest for innovative forms of visual expression, she employs an extensive array of compositional techniques to transcend traditional notions of beauty. Through contemplative processes, her creations frequently evoke altered states of consciousness and plunge into the subconscious, embracing pseudo-realities, unconventional imagination, and ambiguity. Influenced by a postmodern ethos, she subverts established conventions to carve an independent route in the art world.
Kovieraitė Trumpė’s visual vocabulary is deeply rooted in folk art, folklore, fairy tales, and intricate patterns. By fusing these sources, she fabricates alternative realities that comment on the pervasive influences of populism, politics, and manipulated media imagery prevalent in contemporary culture. Her works deliberately disrupt typical dimensions and frameworks, connecting the ordinary with the fantastical and urging viewers to discover a concealed, inaudible world lying beneath the apparent surface of everyday existence.
Emphasizing personal interpretation and individual responses to routine experiences, the artist endeavors to communicate her inner world to the public. This act becomes a means of reframing her surroundings, inviting both herself and the audience to revisit daily occurrences from novel vantage points. Vaiva Kovieraitė Trumpė hopes her art will deepen the way viewers think and enhance their awareness, guiding them toward a richer understanding of what exists beyond traditional perception.
Kovieraitė Trumpė earned her MA in Graphic Arts from Šiauliai University between 2011 and 2013, also attending the Academy of Humanities and Economics in Łódź, Poland, through the Erasmus/Socrates program. She completed her BA in Graphic Arts at Šiauliai University in 2008. Her professional journey encompasses over 15 solo exhibitions and participation in upwards of 50 group exhibitions throughout Lithuania, the USA, France, Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Poland.
About this artwork+
The painting features a stylized depiction of a hippopotamus in a stark, graphic style. The animal is portrayed in a simplified yet detailed manner, showing various textures across its body that suggest skin folds and weight. This hippo, portrayed in solid black ink, stands against a contrasting plain background that transitions from a solid wash of limited color at the top into a mottled, textured area at the bottom, perhaps evoking a watery or muddy habitat. The top portion of the piece fades into drips and streaks, giving an illusion of age or decay, which adds an abstract layer to the straightforward depiction of the wildlife. The artistic technique used conveys both the physical presence of the hippopotamus and an expressive, almost surreal quality of the scene. The simplicity in color contrasts deeply with the complexity in texture and form seen in both the animal and the background.
