Artists’ House

 

Pamario st 20a, Nida

THE IDEA OF ARTISTS’ HOUSE

Virginija and Kazimieras Mizgiris had an old dream that Nida – the most beautiful place in Lithuania – was famous not only as a centre of amber masters. They thought that Nida’s wonderful coast and lagoon could attract different artists and inspire them. The project was implemented: House of Artists was built in 1996 reviving an old Hermann Blode’s idea about Mecca of artists.

In summertime jewellers, masters of amber and metal, sculptors, painters and drawers live in a small wooden fachverk summer house on the coast of Curonian Lagoon and work on their creations. There is a small workshop with grinding, polishing, rotating, bending machines and other necessary equipment. The exposition hall of 40 square meters takes up the main space in a small house built in the garden of Amber Gallery-Museum. It is very cosy to discuss and hold meetings by the fireplace in cool summer evenings. If a day is hot, discussion or work could take place in the arbour.

Two small living rooms and a cosy foyer on the second floor serve to make artists feel comfortable. The house was built in four months. The architectural design of the house based on the old Curonian traditions was worked out by the architect Vaidotas Guogis, interior design was created by the painter Ąžuolas Vaitukaitis.

Mizgiris family did not hire any construction workers: House of Artists was built by the owners themselves with the help of friends and relatives. That is why the owners are happy about the cosiness and good atmosphere of the house.

Like Hermann Blode used to do hundred years ago, nowadays Mizgiris family invite artists to their House of Artists in Nida to create, enjoy wonderful nature and transform their ideas and experience into works of art. Artists can live and work for free for two weeks in the House of Artists and prepare exhibitions. They are only asked to bring their works and organize an exhibition, interact with the visitors and allow them to watch the process of creation. Perhaps some guests could have a chance to polish their own amber they had found on the beach or draw a picture. Interaction with the guests of this house will be one of the subjects of the contract. Artists would leave some of their works upon departure. Mizgiris’ family hopes to collect a rich collection of those works where each of them would have its own history and legend. The Chronicle of the House of Artists was started on the first day of its existence.

Those who wish to take part in the process of creation in the House of Artists in Nida have to fill this questionnaire. Please read the contract, which has to be signed after the arrival. The answer will be sent by e-mail or by post in 2-4 weeks.

CREATIVE SEASON

Every two weeks creative activities take place in Mizgiris’ Artists’ House in Nida in summer season (from May to September). Visitors can watch the art process and interact with the artists who are part of the programme. At the end of the creative work programme artists open their exhibition showing the works they brought and created during their visit.

01/09/2011 – 12/09/2011

E. Dean “Ornamentum”

19/08/2011 – 30/08/2011

U. Blažytė, D. Tamašauskas “Just walking”

04/08/2011 – 14/08/2011

Exhibition of J. Tabutytė-Misienė and J. Erminienė

10/07/2011 – 23/07/2011

Exhibition of A. Zavišaitė

14/09/2010 – 16/09/2010

Photographie exhibition of M. Ricci (Italy)

23/08/2010 – 29/08/2010

Workshop of A. Malgin

09/08/2010 – 15/08/2010

J. Tubutytė-Misienė “Summer felt”

30/07/2010 – 07/08/2010

S. Jonušaitė and S. Lunevičius “Nine days of nine days“ (photo, video, music)

12/07/2010 – 20/07/2010

S. Inčirauskaitė-Kriaunevičienė “Extraordinary routine“

18/08/2009 – 31/08/2009

R. Padleckas’ exhibition “THE MOON’S CAT IN NERINGA”

The author’s creative nickname is THE MOON’S CAT. The author is looking for new opportunities working with easily decomposing substances: sand, packing cardboard, etc. This exhibition presented the author’s jewellery.

07/08/2009 – 15/08/2009

N. Erminas’ exhibition “Blue Period II“

The author’s art is sculpture, conceptual art design and small plastic. Upon the closure of the exhibition morphology of “Amber Road” demonstrative part, four 50 million year-old pine trees, was set up. When the visitors open the trunk, they perceive the processes of amber formation: how resin was pilling up and dripping from wounded parts or simply running down the trunk.

20/06/2009 – 01/07/2009

A. Mikutis and Ą. Vaitukaitis’ exhibition

A. Mikutis and Ą. Vaitukaitis are designers-jewellers. A. Mikutis presented jewellery in interior and Ą. Vaitukaitis – the electric censer, which using amber dust cleans the room and spreads aroma of resin.

22/08/2008 – 03/09/2008

M. Raškovskij’ exhibition “Heatwave in Nida”

The author was theatre and dance photographer. He presented his works and their performance technology. He took pictures with camera-obskura, and developed them manually using a traditional (black and white) photographic process.

06/08/2008 – 20/08/2008

Ž. Jurgaitytė, M. Norinder and M. Lundell’s exhibition “Hidings”

12/07/2008 – 19/07/2008

J. Erminaitė, E. Čėjauskaitė-Gintalė, K. Pipiraitė “Relics of Thomas Mann” (Metalwork, Photography)

06/06/2008 – 16/06/2008

Mizgiris’ Amber Museum and the University of Hamburg Geology-Palaeontology Institute organized the exhibition “Dominican Amber”: amber extraction, colours, similarities and differences from Baltic amber. K. Mizgiris (Mizgiris’ Amber Museum) and professor W. Weitschat (University of Hamburg Geology-Palaentology Institute) were the organizers of the project.

25/08/2007 – 02/09/2007

Kites and wind’s installation “For Wind and the Sea“

G. Umbrasas, A. Andziulytė, G. Valtaitė and D. Dumskis created kites, decorated them and showed to people how to do it.

18/08/2007 – 24/08/2007

F. Chaubin’s photography exhibition “Architecture and Nature”

11/08/2007 – 14/08/2008

Delivery of ZDF reportage “Tränen der Götter” (“Tears of Gods”)

14/07/2007 – 22/07/2007

S. Malaškevičiūtė, A. and M. Šimkevičius, R. and E. Praspaliauskas and B. Sietinšienė “Between the Lagoon and the Sea”

17/07/2006

Presentation of V. and K. Mizgiris book “Mysterious amber world. Geheimnisvolle Bernsteinwelt“

18/06/2005 – 10/07/2005

Photo exhibition of A. Rutkauskas, T. Ozawa (Japan), K. Mizgiris

01/09/2003 – 15/09/2003

Exhibition of the jeweller R. Grigaravičius and the painter V. Mataitytė

15/08/2003 – 30/08/2003

Artists’ group “White Moths” (A. Jurgelionytė, K. Kunčinaitė, M. Lebednykaitė, R. Leonavičiūtė, L. Pavilonytė, and J. Vosyliutė) exhibition “VELTĖ”

01/08/2003 – 14/08/2008

Symposium of teachers and students from Vilnius Academy of Arts, Crafts and Arts Branch in Telšiai. Exhibition “The Node”. Participants: the teacher L. Kėrienė, students J. Erminaitė, E. Čėjauskaitė, S. Jastrumskytė.

07/07/2003 – 12/07/2003

Exhibition of A. Kulbytė

19/06/2003 – 29/06/2003

Jewellery exhibition of V. Pedari and U. Voosalu (Estonia)

01/06/2003 – 15/06/2003

Sculptors’ Symposium “Small Plastic and Amber”

Participants: K. Musteikis (sculptor), A. Ališanka (sculptor), R. Aranauskas (Architect), K. Venclovas (sculptor)

01/09/2002 – 15/09/2002

Jewellery exhibition of A. Wagner and T. Tolvanen (Holland)

20/08/2002 – 30/08/2002

Jewellery exhibition “Time” of the teacher L. Griškaitė-Kėrienė and her students J. Erminaitė, E. Čėjauskaitė, L. Kvintaitė, U. Kuprijonaitė, A. Valukonytė (Vilnius Academy of Arts, Crafts and Arts Branch in Telšiai).

01/08/2002 – 15/08/2002

Vilnius Academy of Arts, Department of Design, Professor J. Gerulaitis – project completion of Exposition in the garden of Amber Gallery-Museum.

27/07/2002

E. Babilaitė-Sitas and I. Babilaitė’s new works presentation “Nida’s Etude”

16/07/2002 – 25/07/2002

E. Babilaitė-Sitas and I. Babilaitė’s exhibition “Unfinished Diaries” (dedicated to Thomas Mann)

05/07/2002 – 12/07/2002

I. Diržienė’s exhibition “Sea Serpentine”

15/06/2002 – 30/06/2002

Jewellers Ą. Vaitukaitis’s exhibition

01/06/2002 – 14/06/2002

Symposium “Amber in Interior”

15/05/2002 – 30/05/2002

Exhibition of the dress designer H. Bolladottir and the jeweller O. Bjornsson (Iceland)

01/09/2001 – 15/09/2001

Exhibition of the artist from Tallinn A. Šaulys

15/08/2001 – 01/09/2001

The jeweller’s M. Kulvik exhibition “The Sea and Land” (Finland)

01/08/2001 – 15/08/2001

Amber Museum’ garden exposition implementation works. Sculptors: G. Stašauskas, T. Vaičaitis, A. Sakalauskas. Author of the project was the designer J. Gerulaitis.

01/07/2001 – 30/07/2001

The jeweller A. Wagner’s exhibition (Holland)

30/06/2001 – 15/07/2001

Lithuanian artists S. Virpilaitis and V. Matulionis’s exhibition.

15/06/2001 – 30/06/2001

The jeweller A. Volski’s exhibition (Poland)

01/06/2001 – 15/06/2001

Vilnius Academy of Arts, Crafts and Arts Branch in Telšiai, creative camp of the students of Metallic Art Studio

15/05/2001 – 30/05/2001

Symposium of artists, who work with amber

23/08/2000 – 07/09/2000

Jewellers from Prague – A. Horova and R. Hora’s exhibition

01/08/2000 – 15/08/2000

Exhibition of jewellers’ group from Tallinn F.F.F.F. (K. Paak, K. Rannik, B. Teeaar, K. Tirtsar, M. Valdma)

15/07/2000 – 30/07/2000

Painters J. Mikolaitytė and K. Petrulis’s, the art critic D. Zovienė’s exhibition “Meeting at the Sea”

01/07/2000 – 15/07/2000

Graphic artist L. Gedvilaitė-Sakalauskienė’s and ceramics artist D. Ložytė’s exhibition “Gardens of the 20^th to the 21^st Century”

15/06/2000 – 30/06/2000

 V. Matulionis and S. Virpilaitis’s jewellery exhibition

01/06/2000 – 15/06/2000

V. Mockaitis’s personal exhibition (metal graphics) “Plaques, Objects”, and exhibition of the students from Vilnius Academy of Arts, Crafts and Arts Branch in Telšiai, Metallic Art Studio (R. Bačiulis, O. Čepeliuk J. Erminaitė, Š. Vaitkutė, T.Šilinskis) – “Jewellery, Objects”

15/05/2000 – 30/05/2000

Symposium of artists, who work with amber (V. Matulionis, S. Krivičienė, Ą. Vaitukaitis, A. Mikutis, E. Ludavičius, S. Grinius)

01/09/1998 – 15/09/1998

Jeweller L. Kėrienė’s exhibition

15/08/1998 – 30/08/1998

E. Ludavičius’, R. and Z. Inčirauskas’ exhibition (video art, metal plastic)

01/08/1998 – 15/08/1998

Students of Lodz Arts Academy and their instructor A. Boss’s jewellery exhibition

15/07/1998 – 30/07/1998

P. Zeidler (jazz musician) and I. Imbert’s (Set designer) exhibition “From the China Sea to the Baltic Sea” (France)

01/07/1998 – 15/07/1998

S. Krivičienė’s jewellery exhibition “Networks”

15/06/1998 – 30/06/1998

 The jeweller W. Wasielewski’s exhibition (Poland)

01/06/1998 – 15/06/1998

Painter and poet V. Kusa’s exhibition

15/05/1998 – 30105/1998

Symposium of artists, who work with amber

01/09/1997 – 15/09/1997

V. Butyrinas’ photo exhibition “50”

10/08/1997

S. Krivičienė’s jewellery exhibition

20/07/1997

V. Milkintas’ exhibition “7 + 2 = Neptune“

21/06/1997

Opening of Artists’ House (Ą. Vaitukaitis, A. Mikutis, Ž. Bautrėnas’s jewellery exhibition “On the Sea Bed”) 

 

events in the Artists’ House

 

 

Opening of J. Tubutytė-Misienė’s  exhibition “Summer felt“

 

Opening of S. Inčirauskaitė-Kriaunevičienė’s exhibition “Extraordinary routine“

 

Opening of R. Padleckas’ exhibition “THE MOON’S CAT IN NERINGA”

 

Artist R. Padleckas with students from Vilnius Academy of Arts

 

Closing of N. Erminas’ exhibition “Blue Period II“

  

Demonstrative part of “Amber Road”, four “50 million year-old” pine trees, was set up

 

Opening of R. Pagnani’ (Italy) exhibition “Dievas_Dio“

 

Presentation of V. and K. Mizgiris book “Mysterious amber world. Geheimnisvolle Bernsteinwelt“

 

Opening of the exhibition “VELTĖ” (Artists’ group “White Moths”)

 

Opening of K. Mizgirytė photography exhibition

 

Opening of K. Venclova’s exhibition “Books in concrete”

 

A. Mikutis, A. Vaitukaitisand Ž. Bautrėnas near their work “Fish”. Participants of symposium near the work “The door into summer”

 

Artists R. Diržys, I. Diržienė, A. Šaulys and M. Relo-Šaulys opened the interesting exhibition in the Artists’ House

The jeweller A. Volski (Poland) and his colleague in the Artists’ House

 

Exhibition of A. Wagner and T. Tolvanen (Holland)

 

V. Mockaitis and his students from Vilnius Academy of Arts in the Artists’ House

 

R. and Z. Inčirauskas’ exhibition                                             Exhibition of the students from Vilnius Academy of Arts

  

P. Zeidler (jazz musician) and I. Imbert’s (Set designer) exhibition “From the China Sea to the Baltic Sea” (France)

 

Exhibition of J. Mikolaitytė, K. Petrulis and D. Zovienė. Opening of L. Gedvilaitė-Sakalauskienė’s and D. Ložytė’s exhibition

 

Artists Ą. Vaitukaitis and S. Grinius in the Artists’ House      The jeweller M. Kulvik (Finland) in the Artists’ House

 

After the opening of exhibition near Amber Gallery-Museum     Opening of Artists’ House (1996)