This year is the 100th anniversary of  Kaunas School of Art, built in 1922 by the painter and art critic Justinas Vienožinskis, is mentioned. The Academy of Arts of the Faculty of Arts and Education of Kaunas University of Applied Sciences, located in the spaces of  Kaunas School of Art, commemorates the 100th anniversary of the school and organises exhibitions of famous Lithuanian artists who have studied in this place. During the year 2022, the Academy of Arts will invite Kaunas residents and guests to personal exhibitions of Rimantas Dichavičius, Stasys Eidrigevičius, Jonas Gasiūnas, Dainius Liškevičius, Evaldas Pauza, Juozas Statkevičius, Darius Mikšys, Židrija Janušaitė, Remigijus Sederevičius, Feliksas Jakubauksas, Eglė Ridikaitė. The exhibitions will be held at the “Owl Hill” gallery.

A place with the special aura

“We are proud to witness the 100th anniversary of the Kaunas School of Art. Many wonderful artists have grown up here during this time, and I would like to get them back, on the Owl Hill, for a while. It’s a pity that the year have only 12 months, and only a small part of returning graduates will hold solo exhibitions at the “Owl Hill “gallery “, – says PhD Inga Valentinienė, the Head of the Academy of Arts. Members of the Academy of Arts community and everyone who visits this place claim that its aura is special. This is because  Kaunas School of Art, which functionated from 1922 to 1940 and was the only art school in Lithuania between the wars, was built by J. Vienožinskis, Stasys Šilingas, members of the Lithuanian Art Creators’ Association and art school teachers. Before leaving for Paris, Vincas Grybas, a graduate of the school, decorated metal and concrete pillars surrounding the school with famous owl sculptures. Since then, the name “Owl Hill “has been synonymous with this place.

Famous teachers and their students

The School of Art had departments of Preparatory (until 1929), General and Special Education. Drawing teachers for gymnasiums were taught in the General Education Department, artists -in the Special Department, where painting, sculpture, graphics, decorative painting, fine ceramics was lectured. It would be possible to write a long story about each of the personalities who had lectured at Kaunas School of Art. Students were educated by: painter, graphic artist, scenographer Vladas Didžiokas, one of the pioneers of modern architecture in Lithuania, promoter of national style, architect Vladimiras Dubeneckis, painter, graphic artist Adomas Galdikas, graphic artist, sculptor, stained glass artist, one of the founders of the Lithuanian Society of Art Creators Adomas Varnas, sculptor Juozas Zikaras, painter Antanas Žmuidzinavičius, who exhibited his works in the first exhibition of Lithuanian art and many other artists Lithuania is proud of. The great teachers helped to reveal the talents of sculptors Robertas Antinis, Vincas Grybas, Viktoras Palys, graphic artists Marcė Katiliūtė, ceramicist Jonas Mikėnas, painters Antanas Samuolis, Viktoras Vizgirda, Domicėlė Tarabildienė, Stasys Ušinskas and many others.

Let’s celebrate the 100th anniversary of Kaunas School of Art together!