Romualdas Rakauskas’ exhibition “R.R.” starts on April 9th at Kaunas Photogaphy Gallery. Exhibition is curated by Donatas Stankevičius. The prints showcased in the exhibition are borrowed from Lithuanian Photographers Association archives.
Lithuanian Hystorian of photography Tomas Pabedinskas writes: “More than five decades ago, Romualdas Rakauskas, together with other renowned Lithuanian photographers, created and established a distinctive photographic trend that has come to be called the Lithuanian School of Photography. Today it is clear that not only was a distinct trend created at that time but also a unique picture of life in Lithuania in the second half of the 20th century, and a humanistic worldview that seemed to defy time, which Rakauskas saw with an individual and particularly poetic gaze. <…>
Although Rakauskas’ work was shaped by a specific period, his most famous works speak about what seems eternal and universal. His most important series of photographs, “Blooming”, consists of recurring juxtapositions of the cycles of human life and blooming nature, images of life, death, love and trust, which resonate with each other to heighten the emotional impact of the photographs and to clarify their symbolic significance. In blossom, one can also recognise a number of icons of Rakauskas’ work and, at the same time, of Lithuanian photography: grandmothers beneath blossoming trees or a boy carrying a rabbit along a country road. In these photographs, he reveals “big” themes by looking at life (sometimes directing it) in his characteristically poetic and sentimental way. This is also the photographer’s viewpoint in the series “Our Faces”, “Tenderness” and his individual works. It is this open lyricism of the photographs, reflecting his own personality, that makes them distinctive, distinguishing them from other examples of the Lithuanian school of photography, and “rescuing” them from the artificial optimism of the Soviet period.”
The exhibition will take place until May 8th.
Exhibition is supported by Lithuanian Council for Culture.
Photograph: Romualdas Rakauskas, “Blooming, 113″, 1974–1984, Lithuanian Photographers Association archives.