Exhibition of Jonas Rimša “Life in wanderings” opened its doors in Anykščiai Chapel
On September 30 an exhibition of Jonas Rimša (1903-1978) “Life in wanderings” from the collection of Lithuanian Expatriate Art Foundation opened its doors in Anykščiai Chapel - Creative Center of Anykščiai Residents of the World (Vilniaus str. 36, Anykščiai).
Jonas Rimša (Juan Rimsa) was born in 1903 in Svėdasai, Anykščiai Region and grew up in Kaunas. Bowing to the will of his father, he graduated from the best sewing school in Vienna, and afterwards, completely focused on studying art, he went further abroad to search for his destiny elsewhere. In 1931–1934 he attended the Buenos Aires Academy of Art (Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes in Buenos Aires), which was the best institution of its kind in all of South America. In 1943, in the city of Sucre, the artist established an art school and was its director. However, one year later, the government needed to reduce its expenses and the school was forced to close. Unhindered, Rimša selected twenty-one of his most gifted students and established a private art school, the Curso Superior de Bellas Artes, which was in operation until 1951. In the art world, the students of this school became known as “Rimša’s Group”. He provided financial support to his students, and personally allocated funds to send more than a handful of talented Bolivian artists to pursue their studies in Europe – Graciela Rodo-Boulanger, Mario Eloy Vargas and Juan Ortega Leyton being among the most famous. Jonas Rimša was honoured in the cultural sphere in Bolivia, being presented with the highest distinction given to civilians, the Cóndor de Los Andes award. He was also made a Honourary Citizen of Bolivia. The Bolivian Government acquired approximately 300 paintings from the artist and distributed them among the most significant national offices. The epic and impressive painting by Rimša, “The Founding of La Paz” (1948), is displayed in the Bolivian capital’s Municipal Hall. Several of his works also hang in the Central Bank in La Paz, as well as in the homes of private buyers.
In 2002 paintings by Jonas Rimša from the collection of the National M. K. Čiurlionis Art Museum were exhibited in Anykščiai Chapel. President Valdas Adamkus, who was a friend of the artist Jonas Rimša and maintained close ties with him 1958 before his death, participated in the opening of the exhibition and told about the artist's life and creative path.
In this year's exhibition the artist’s works form the collections of Lithuanian Expatriate Art Foundation are presented. Selected artworks will allow to acknowledge with the creative world of Jonas Rimša and evaluate the entirety of his creative work.
The exhibition runs from September 30 to December 2, 2013.
