Živilė Steniukynaitė-Fornari | Merging
2024 03 05 – 03 22
In the "Merging" exhibition, the artist Živile presents her interpretation of the traditional Indian textile printing technique (block printing). This ancient and culturally important visual language is the basis of the exhibition, which invites the viewer to dive into and touch this unique, archaic method of textile printing through the prism of the artist.
Živile had the opportunity to travel to India with the help of a mobility grant from the Ministry of Culture of Lithuania. There, she mastered textile stamping with her own hands using hand-carved wooden blocks, and while working with experts in this craft in the "Wabisabi project" studio, she created the series of cotton canvases "Merging". Her works aim to connect two cultures, worlds, by layering various patterns that are inspired by traditional textile weaving motifs.
The circle, as a recurring motif, is an important element in her works, symbolizing cyclicality and reversibility. It seems to convey the realities of different worlds that can become one in a moment. The artist presents the exhibition as a poetic escape from the post-industrial, fast reality. Here, monotonous block stamping creates canvases that are full of touch, human error, materiality.
All works are dyed using only natural dyes such as madder root, indigo pigment, turmeric and iron rust. Dyeing textiles with plants is not only an important part of the artist's practice, but also represents the deep color traditions of India. Unfortunately, textile dyeing with plants is becoming a very rare phenomenon in India.
In the exhibition, in addition to canvases printed with wooden blocks, you will be able to see photos and videos from the town of Bragu in India, where the chhipa (block printers) community lives. Živile aims to convey the atmosphere of this impressive place, the beauty of the craft, the complexity, the hard work and the person behind each meter of printed material. She invites the viewer to stop and look at this technique, which, due to changing society, fashion trends and industrial development, is constantly changing, evolving and facing an uncertain future.
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Živilė Steniukynaitė-Fornari (b. 1991), using fabrics, looks for the link between the past and the future, communicates ideas of sustainability, explores personal experiences, and global contemporary social challenges. The artist completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts studies at Coventry University (UK) in 2015, where she studied various sculptural techniques. Her creative horizons expanded in other international studies in Italy and Indonesia. After studying batik (textile printing using wax) in Indonesia, a creative breakthrough occurred, directing the artist to textile research and experimentation with natural textile dyeing methods and biodegradable materials. While studying, Živilė won the Coventry Drawing Prize, was nominated for the Jane Sutton Art Prize and participated in various exhibitions. In 2023, she received the Alytus Young Artist's scholarship, which gave her the opportunity to create her first solo exhibition "Unbreakable Connection" at the Alytus Culture Center. Also in 2023, Živilė participated in the Andorra Biennale, a group exhibition in Lanjaron, Spain, and studied the traditional textile printing technique "Block printing" in India, using the mobility scholarship of the Lithuanian Culture Council.
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Opening of the exhibition will take place on the 5th of March (Tuesday) at 6:30 PM at the VAA gallery Artifex (Gaono str.1, Vilnius).
