Algis Griškevičius was born in Vilnius in 1954. After a two-year stint in the army immediately following graduation (1973-1975), the artist discovered the world of theatre as an artist’s assistant at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre (1976-1980). Inspired by this formative experience, the artist honed his natural talent at the State Art Institute of Lithuania (now Vilnius Academy of Arts) from 1980 to 1985. Concurrently, he worked both as a scene painter at the Lithuanian State Youth Theatre (1980-1990) and as a freelance artist from 1990 onwards. Although he is celebrated for his paintings, Griškevičius has also made a name and identity for himself in the contemporary Lithuanian photography scene.
Despite being evidently situated in Vilnius, Griškevičius’ paintings can only be described as ‘otherworldly’. This is due to several elements all consciously articulated to this effect. Thematically, absence and emptiness are striking elements of the chosen and depicted scenery. The fact that most painted spaces seem to expect or await a crowd accentuates this feeling of ‘presencelessness’, which immediately leads one to question, ‘why are these scenes empty?’ Temporality seems suspended and frozen, despite the soft and honest colours. Through this effect, the spectator is led to stare at the painting, as if there were something to notice, to uncover within the photographic absurdity presented. Technique serves as a perceptive effect. Classically structured around three planes of depth, images are divided as follows: a first plane of mimetic accuracy, a second plane of geometric composition and a third and furthest plane that adopts a more suggestive technique of vibrating touches of colours. All these parameters combined are a testimony to Griškevičius’ background in theatre. Each painting is structured not so much like a flat image, but more like a physical set. Hence the sense of scene in the scenery, like a stage knowledgeable about our eventual presence – the only one there is. Face to face, both the painting and the spectator…wait.
Surrealism through composition is later ported over to photography, but through contrasting means and to achieve different results. Details abound, each adding a question mark in the spectator’s mind. These mise-en-scène, through the presence of characters in everyday situations turned slightly absurd, gain in symbolism. Such contrast gives each composition a philosophical subtext one is free to interpret. Layered in this way, Griškevičius’ photographs position him with one foot outside Lithuanian photographic tradition (conceptual symbolism), and one foot firmly anchored within it (philosophical quandaries rooted in simplistic imagery).
This engaging corpus has been shown across the world in over 73 solo exhibitions and 100 collective shows and been the subject of six books dated between 2004 and 2019.
