Artwork in the room
Viktoras Šatunovas was born in 1952 in Vilnius, Lithuania. His artistic path began early, as he graduated from the Vienožinskis Art School in Vilnius in 1967, establishing a solid groundwork for his later work in the arts. In 1975, he completed his education at the Belarusian Academy of Arts in Minsk, where he majored in painting and graphic arts.
Šatunovas continued to refine his mastery at the Leningrad Academy of Arts, where he immersed himself in various printmaking methods such as lithography, etching, block printing, and linen engraving. His involvement with professional organizations started in 1978 when he became a member of the USSR Artists’ Union, and after Lithuania gained independence, he joined the Lithuanian Artists' Association in 1991.
During his artistic career, Šatunovas has engaged with a wide array of forms, producing posters and paintings in addition to illustrating books. From 1990 onward, his creative activity expanded to include writing children’s books as well as illustrating them, marking him as a prominent figure in book art. His accomplishments in book graphics have earned him numerous diplomas at international exhibitions and competitions.
Viktoras Šatunovas has illustrated over 150 books, with more than 20 million copies published in Russia, the United States, South Africa, Japan, Lithuania, and other countries. His paintings are part of private collections in nations such as Russia, the United States, Israel, Germany, Sweden, and Lithuania, demonstrating his extensive international reach and impact in the art community.
About this artwork+
In the painting "Prickly World," a rich tapestry of nature is depicted against a textured blue-grey backdrop, evoking a sense of aged and weathered beauty. The foreground is dominated by tall, spiky plants with globular, thistle-like blooms poised on sinuous, thorny stems. Brown, shriveled leaves, some speckled with pale colors, suggest the waning vitality of late autumn. Amidst these prickly plants flutter a variety of butterflies, their wings painted with a spectrum of vibrant oranges, yellows, reds, and subtle purples. Tiny white moths or butterflies also add a delicate contrast to the scene. The crackled and uneven surface of the background, resembling cracked stone or dried earth, contributes an almost desolate, yet mystically serene atmosphere to the setting, emphasizing the coexistence of beauty and harshness in this natural tableau.
