12th December at 2 p.m. Rasa Jančiauskaitė, a doctoral student in Design, will defend her art project „Primal Expression in the Field of Visual Communication Design“ (Design V 003) at Vilnius Literary House (Šv. Jono st. 11-16, Vilnius).
The dissertation defence meeting will be held in Lithuanian.
Art project supervision:
Prof. Aušra Lisauskienė (2021-2024) (Vilnius Academy of Arts, Visual Arts, Design V 003),
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rūta Mickienė (2024-2025) (Vilnius Academy of Arts, Visual Arts, Design V 003).
Thesis supervision:
Prof. Dr. (hp) Giedrė Jankevičiūtė (Lithuanian Culture Research Institute, Humanities, Art History and Theory, H 003).
The Artistic Research Project will be defended at a public meeting of the Academic Board of Design at Vilnius Academy of Arts composed of the following members:
Chairperson:
Prof. Audrius Klimas (Vilnius Academy of Arts, Visual Arts, Design V 003)
Members:
Prof. Dr. Bart Geerts (LUCA School of Arts, Institute of Philosophy, KU Leuven (Belgium), Visual Arts, Design V 003)
Dr. Karolina Jakaitė (Vilnius Academy of Arts, Humanities, Art History and Theory, H 003)
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kristė Kibildytė-Klimienė (Vilnius Academy of Arts, Visual Arts, Design V 003)
Dr. Jolita Liškevičienė (Vilnius Academy of Arts, Humanities, Art History and Theory, H 003)
Abstract
Primal Expression, Scribbling and Doodling, Visual Procrastination, and Creative Eros (the warmth within the creative act) are the main points of departure for this research in the field of visual communication design. Together, these concepts define the artistic project’s expression, methods, and search for inspiration.
The dissertation “Primal Expression in the Field of Visual Communication Design” seeks to justify and articulate the artistic strategy of primal expression that has clear roots in art history and is directly linked to long-standing practices of spontaneity and intuitive creation. Such practices—like filling notebooks with text and images or engaging in spontaneous creative sessions—remain relevant today.
Revisiting the notion of primal expression allows for the illumination of the behind-the-scenes stages of creativity, offering ways to make these processes visible to audiences and to create conditions for the expansion of scribbling and doodling stages—from the book format to exhibition spaces—and their return to the book, transformed by the experience of new contexts.
In summary, the artistic strategy of primal expression is not only spontaneous but also reflective, communicative, experimental, and alive. It expands the boundaries of visual communication design while maintaining a connection both with the audience and with the creator. The structure of doctoral studies encourages action in the public sphere, while primal expression within design presupposes a sense of community—one that values not only the result but also the creative process itself, open to imperfection, incompleteness, and vitality.
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Illustration: Rasa Jančiauskaitė, 2025.
