ANNOTATION OF ARTIST REMIGIJUS KRIUKAS
Glass evolved tremendously over the last century. It has become a full-fledged material for artistic creation. Besides countries that are often considered to be glass superpowers, countries with traditionally abundant glass production, glass has also manifested itself greatly in the Baltic region. If we were to name one artist that is the most visible and most respected glass celebrity in Lithuania today, it would certainly be Remigijus Kriukas.
The main reason is his great knowledge of what glass is capable of, its extraordinary and irreproducible qualities that distinguish it from other materials. His sense of contrast is clearly visible in his admirable works, e.g. when combining imprints charcoal rough structure and the inner transparency of the glass material. He lets us peek in through cut and polished surfaces. In some cases he accentuates the depth by applying a glossy metal layer. With these recent works the artist has established and strengthened his position at the international glass scene. Other sculptures by Kriukas, this time blown and organically shaped from dark glass, stand out with their spontaneity and monumentality, especially when exhibited in larger groups. Remigijus Kriukas and his life partner Indrė Stulgaitė Kriukienė, who is also a prominent glass artist, together exemplify with their impressive light installations successfully that glass bears a great potential that not only attracts general public, but also deserves recognition of theorists in fine art.
The impact of Remigijus Kriukas’s artwork is not only proven by the interest of world museums, art galleries and collectors, but also through artist’s presence at international symposiums; in his case it has been more than thirty, which is admirable. Mr. Kriukas is welcomed as a respectable ambassador of Lithuanian culture. In return, he regularly organizes artistic meetings called “GlassJazz” at his Glasremis Glassworks in Panevėžys inviting significant representatives of the glass field and helping so to raise the prestige of Lithuanian glass art in the world.
dr. Milan Hlaveš
Head Curator of Glass and Ceramics Collection, Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague