Artwork in the room
Verdenė Monika Valkiūnaitė is a Lithuanian artist whose practice encompasses scenography, drawing, and painting. She received her bachelor’s degree in scenography from the Vilnius Academy of Arts in 2018, later earning her master’s from the same institution in 2021. Since completing her studies, she has continually produced new works and participated in exhibitions, both at home in Lithuania and abroad.
When painting, Valkiūnaitė aims to cultivate a distinctive style and expressive approach, often drawing inspiration from her early life. Her method includes assembling scenographic components on flat surfaces and reinterpreting the responsibilities of the scenographer by placing emphasis on crafting a sensual atmosphere throughout the canvas. She adopts a spontaneous and intuitive process, frequently forgoing preliminary sketches in favor of allowing her compositions to emerge organically.
A prominent feature of her art is the use of multiple layers, which give her canvases both depth and spatial complexity. She favors vivid, luminous colors, engaging with their contrasts and relationships to infuse her paintings with energy and playfulness. In organizing her exhibitions, Valkiūnaitė invites viewers to navigate the space, encounter unexpected barriers, and immerse themselves in environments that are simultaneously novel and intimate, often populated by captivating characters.
For Valkiūnaitė, perseverance and continuous exploration are more valuable than brief moments of inspiration. Her creative process involves gathering her experiences, reevaluating them, and subsequently interpreting them through her artwork. Among her significant solo exhibitions are “Savannid” at Jakobi galerii in Tartu, Estonia (2023), “Savanna and Other Spells” at Baltasis koridorius in Vilnius, Lithuania (2023), and “Planes (after the exit of the gorillas)” exhibited at both the VAA Library and gallery AKADEMIJA in Vilnius, Lithuania (2020).
About this artwork+
The painting depicts a group of pink, ethereal aardvarks in various stances of movement and rest, painted against a vibrant, textured background of blue and purple stripes interlaced with white floral or bubble-like patterns. These striped patterns curve and flow across the canvas, suggesting a dynamic, undulating terrain or a whimsical rendition of wind or water currents. A large, pale blue moon (or perhaps sun), surrounded by a halo of lighter blue, dominates the top center of the composition, casting an otherworldly glow that accentuates the mystical and serene ambiance of the scene. The gentle, dreamy quality of the colors and the rhythmic quality of the lines contribute to a sense of peaceful motion and harmonious pauses. The creatures seem to be in a state of gentle exploration or foraging, integrated deeply into the whimsical world around them.
