Communism, self-identity and art are topics of Copernicus Lecture
The pierced bodies, grotesque demons and masked faces of artist Stasys Eidrigevicius were shaped by a communist world in which people learned to hide who they really were and seek new, private identities.
In the words of Ryszard Kapuscinski, Eidrigevicius portrays seemingly demonic figures that “confirm the meaning of the world and look upon us with benevolence.”
The artist will deliver the Copernicus Lecture as part of the Penny W. Stamps Distinguished Visitors Series at 5 p.m. Sept. 11 at the Michigan Theater. His exhibition “The Earth of Lithuania with the Wind of Warsaw” will be presented from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday Sept. 8-Oct. 17 in the Institute for the Humanities Gallery, 202 S. Thayer.
Eidrigevicius, more popularly known as “Stasys,” was born in 1949 in Mediniskiai, Lithuania. After earning degrees from the Kaunas College of Fine Arts and Crafts and the Vilnius Academy of Fine Arts, he relocated to Warsaw, Poland, where he established his reputation as an artist.
A master illustrator, book cover designer, sculptor, painter and photographer, he is perhaps best known for his graphics and poster art. It conveys a range of human emotion even when focusing on ordinary objects and depicting common items.
Eidrigevicius has had more than 60 solo exhibitions in 20 countries. His numerous awards include the Gold Medal at Toyama, Japan (1994); 1st Prize at the Biennial of Polish Poster, Katowice (1999); and the National Award in Arts, the most prestigious award offered by the Lithuanian Government (2001).
His visit is a collaborative project among the Copernicus Endowment of the Center for Russian and East European Studies, the Institute for the Humanities and the School of Art & Design.
The exhibit, lecture and reception are free and open to the public.
