'New York, New York' by Audrius Naujokaitis at KCCC Exhibition Hall

2017 05 12 — 2017 06 11 at Klaipėda Culture Communication Center
Author Echo Gone Wrong
Published in Events in Lithuania

a-naujokaitis-new_york-003The exhibition of photographs “New York, New York” of Audrius Naujokaitis (1961-2012) is opening on the 12th of May, 2017 (on Friday) at 6 PM at Klaipėda Photography Gallery at KCCC Exhibition Hall.

A. Naujokaitis was a painter, photographer, graphic artist, fresco painter and a long-time curator of Anthology Film Archives (New York, USA).

As for “generations”, A. Naujokaitis belongs to the generation of Ričardas Nemeikšis, Gintaras Palemonas Janonis, Ričardas Bartkevičius, Marijus Piekuras and Arvydas Baltrūnas. However, Audrius Naujokaitis also shared the aesthetic worldview of painters of a little bit older generation (or generations) – Algis Skačkauskas, Henrikas Čerapas, Jonas Gasiūnas, Vidmantas Ilčiukas, Audrius Dzikaras – and, in general, our painting myth-poetics, even a dose of mysticism (slightly ironic) and reborn symbolism of the second half of the 9th decade of the 20th century was quite familiar to him.

The creative works of A. Naujokaitis can conditionally be split in two parts – creation in Lithuania and creation in USA. While being in Lithuania, A. Naujokaitis was mostly engaged in painting, graphics and photography. During this period, traces of two people having influence on A. Naujokaitis – Justinas Mikutis and Vilius Orvidas – can be noticed in his works besides the so called “Arsiška-Gudaitiška” painting school.

Once in USA, the creative style and techniques of A. Naujokaitis slightly changed, and a filmmaker Jonas Mekas became this highly influential personality. Assemblage appeared alongside painting and graphics, photography was revived with renewed determination, and also video, especially as a documentary media, played an important role. During the last few years when A. Naujokaitis’ visits to Lithuania became more frequent, even after establishing and working in the Ministry of Fluxus in Vilnius, it was as if the Lithuanian and American creative levels started to mix and blend again.

The series of works which were created during A. Naujokaitis’ years in New York is presented at the exhibition of photographs “New York, New York”. Since he was related to the Anthology Film Archives, he had as though naturally intensively taken to making photographs, films –  document his surroundings, actions, performances, and create documentary films. His archives consisted of heaps of documentary and artistic photographs, and also of videos – images recording the surroundings of New York.

The organisers of this exhibition give particular thanks to Stasė Naujokaitienė, the mother of A. Naujokaitis, who immensely helped in organising the exhibition at Klaipėda Photography Gallery.

The exhibition of photographs “New York, New York” of Audrius Naujokaitis is a part of the cycle of photography exhibitions and educational activities “(Non)existent Stories” (orig. “(Ne)būtos istorijos”). The project is partially financed by Klaipėda City Municipality. The project is organised by the Union of Lithuanian Art Photographers, the Department of Klaipėda.

Curator – Darius Vaičekauskas.

The exhibition will run until the 11th of June.