Žygimantas Augustinas was born in 1973 in Vilnius. He studied art at Vilnius Academy of Arts, The Florence Academy of Art, The Art Students League of New York, in 2015 Žygimantas Augustinas was awarded Doctor of Fine Arts degree (it was the very first Doctorate in Fine Arts defended in Lithuania). His artworks usually are related with the representation of the human body and perception of physical and psychological realities. The main source of inspiration is his own body and various texts. An example could be the portrait of Oskar, the literary hero of the Günter Grass book “Tin Drum” (second prize award winner in BP portrait awards, National Portrait Gallery, London, 2002). Bigger projects, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania: “Social portrait” (2003), “Extreme Sports 3000” (2009), “In the XX Century” (2012), tell true and fictional stories about people, their passions and beliefs. His shows are installations of paintings, drawings and sometimes photos and ready-mades. Žygimantas Augustinas has won many awards for artistic creation, amongst them the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Award (Canada, 2002), the professional art debut prize of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, and a number of smaller ones. His works have been acquired by the National Museum of Fine Arts of Lithuania, Noewe Foundation of Art, the Modern Art Museum of Lithuania and many private collectors. Beside artistic creation, Žygimantas Augustinas has been teaching since 2006 at Vilnius Academy of Arts. He also reads public lectures, organizes workshops, and participates in conferences in Lithuania and abroad. Main topics are painting, drawing, picture relation with reality and thinking, self-portrait in contemporary art.
Solo shows:
2024 ‘Garantija’, National Museum of Lithuania, Vilnius Picture Gallery, Vilnius (from 28 May)
2024 ‘Sirenes et Pax’, gallery „Meno Parkas“, Kaunas
2023 ‘The Lack of Serenity’, “Atelier am Eck Gallery“, Dusseldorf (Germany)
2023 ‘From Serenity to Panic’, VAA gallery „Artifex“, Vilnius
2022 ‘IN the Castle’, the Castle of Panemune, Panemune (Lithuania)
2021 ‘The Heir Project’, ArtVilnius, VAA gallery ,,Titanikas’’ (spotted as one of the ‘top7’ expositions at ArtVilnius), „LITEXPO”, Vilnius
2020-21 ‘IN.500’, gallery „Meno Parkas“, Kaunas
2020 ‘500’, VAA gallery „Titanikas“, Vilnius
2018 ‘OU', VGAC exposition Space “+”, Vilnius
2017 ‘IN Case of Milano’, Theca gallery, Milan (Italy)
2017 ‘IN.550’, Klaipėda Cultural Communication Centre, Klaipeda (Lithuania)
2017 ‘IN.550’, Vilnius Academy of Art Gallery, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2016 ‘Picture Demand’, Galleri NB, Viborg (Denmark)
2015 ‘Picture Demand’, Vilnius Academy of Art Gallery, Vilnius
2015 ‘Him and Homo Catinus’, ArtVilnius, LitExpo Gallery, Vilnius
2013 ‘Painting 2000-2013’, Juskus Gallery, Vilnius
2012 ‘In the XX century’, Galleri NB, Viborg (Denmark)
2012 ‘In the XX century’, Vilnius Academy of Art Gallery, Vilnius
2009 ‘Extreme Sports 3000', Lietuvos Aidas Gallery, Vilnius
2008 ‘Human Body: Sign and Landscape’, Vilnius Academy of Art Gallery, Vilnius
2007 ‘Augustinas in Klaipeda’, Klaipėda Cultural Communication Centre, Klaipeda
2006 ‘Man as a Sign', Lietuvos Aidas Gallery, Vilnius
2005 ‘Zygimantas Augustinas: Recent works’, Fraser Gallery, Washington DC
2005 ‘After … II/ people', Lietuvos Aidas Gallery, Vilnius
2004 ‘After New York I/ drawings', Lietuvos Aidas Gallery, Vilnius
2003 ‘Social Portrait', Lietuvos Aidas Gallery, Vilnius
2002 ‘Paintings and Etchings’, Klaipėda Gallery, Klaipeda
2001 ‘Paintings and Etchings’, Lietuvos Aidas Gallery, Vilnius
Selected group shows:
2024 „Identity. Escaping the post-Soviet”, Regional Gallery in Liberec, Liberec (Czech Republic)
2023 ”Imagining Ourselves: Self-portraits of Lithuanian Artists from the 19th-Century to the Present Day”, National Musseum of Lithuania, Vilnius Picture Gallery, Vilnius
2023 ”GREEN”, National M.K. Čiurlionis Fine Art Museum, Kaunas
2023 ”Vilnius Poker”, Mo museum, Vilnius
2023 ”Kunstkamera”, National Museum of Lithuania, Vilnius Picture Gallery, Vilnius
2023 ”NoFilters”, The Samogitian Art Museum, Plungė
2023 “Hedonizmas.lt”, "Godo" gallery, Vilnius
2023 “Figure 2023”, “Arka” gallery, Vilnius
2022 ‘Ukraine #’, VAA gallery „Titanikas“, Vilnius
2021 ”Where are the People?”, National Gallery of Art, Vilnius
2021 ”Another Skin”, M.K. Čiurlionis house-museum, Vilnius
2020 "Why Is It Hard to Love?", curators: Peter Greenaway ir Saskia Boddeke, Mo museum, Vilnius
2020 "We Can Be Heroes", KKKC exhibition hall, Klaipėda
2020 "Now and Then", curator Vidas Poškus, VAA gallery "Akademija" and Vilnius Town Hall, Vilnius
2020 "ArtVilnius", galerija "Contour", LITEXPO, Vilnius
2019 "Animal – Human – Robot", curators: Dr. Erika Grigoravičienė ir Ugnė Paberžytė, Mo museum, Vilnius
2019 “Rekomendation”, KKKC Klaipėdėda exhibition hall, Klaipėda
2019 4th quadriannual exhibition of contemporary art “Memorabilia“, gallery "Pamėnkalnis", Vilnius
2019 "Faksimilian Deo", gallery "Arka", Vilnius
2018 "XVII INTERBIFEP" , Tuzla (Bosnija ir Hercegovina) – prize for the best drawing.
2018 "3FREE" personal exposition “The Heir Project”, Klaipėda Cultural Communication Centre, Klaipeda (Lithuania)
2018 “Darsi”, Spazio Espositivo Palazzo Lombardia, Milan (Italy)
2018 "Join the Dots - Unire le distanze", Salone degli Incanti, Triestas (Italy)
2018 „Time is Going. 100 artist/100 clocks“, galerija “Akademija”, Vilnius; “Galerie Parisa Kind”, Frankfurt am Main (Germany)
2017 ‘Deja Vu’, Xin Dong Cheng Space For Contemporary Art, Beijing (China)
2017 “Khora”, Gdansk Academy of Art, Gdansk (Poland)
2017 Duisburger Akzente festival "I was born in a country that no longer exists", curator Maximilian Bilitza, Stadtarchive Duisburg, Duisburg (Germany)
2017 "Topicality", curator Rebeca Bruder, National M. Mazvydas Library, Vilnius
2016 XVI International Painting Triennial "Nomadic Images", curator Linas Liandsbergis, Museum of Aplied Arts and Design, Vilnius
2016 "100% Painting", "Arka" gallery, Vilnius
2015 "XVI INTERBIFEP" Contemporary Portrait Gallery, Tuzla, Bosna i Hercegovina
2015 "Drawing", Gdansk Academy of Art, Gdansk (Poland)
2015 ”Lost and Found”, American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center, Washington DC (US)
2015 “The Situations”, Art Academy of Latvia, Riga (Latvia)
2015 "From Form to Subject", "Arka" gallery, Vilnius
2015 "Polonez of Vilnius for Lithuania", "Arka" gallery, Vilnius, Plungė, Warsaw (Poland)
2014 “The Shifts”, “Prospekto” gallery, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2014 3rd Quadrennial of Contemporary Art, Basteja gallery, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2014 “The Evolvent”, gallery “Titanikas”, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2014 “Figure, Figures, for Figure“, Juskus Gallery, Vilnius
2014 “The Art Terminal”, gallery “Titanikas”, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2014 "ArtVilnius", LITEXPO, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2014 “Century portrait”, Lithuanian culture center in Warshaw (Poland), “Dom Iskustva” Minsk (Belorussia), Lithuanian embassy Madrid (Spain)
2014 “The Year” Opens the Gate”, gallery “Titanikas”, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2013 CreArt project “More Real than Real”, Lecce (Italy)
2013 "XV INTERBIFEP" Contemporary Portrait Gallery, Tuzla, Bosna i Hercegovina
2013 CreArt project “More Real than Real”, Arad (Romania)
2013 CreArt project “More Real than Real”, Valladolid (Spain)
2013 XV International Vilnius Painting Triennial "Contexts of Painting", Contemporary Art Center, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2013 „BODY. Lithuanian Graphic Art 1980-2013“, Kunstkamera, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2013 „Century Portrait“, Kaliningrad Art Gallery, Kaliningrad (Russia)
2012 “Painting. "How did I Get Here?"“, Contemporary Art Center, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2012 “Contemporary Drawing Bienniale“, Namur (Belgium)
2012 “Self-Portrait. Why?"“, Vilnius Academy of Art Gallery, Vilnius
2012 "ArtVilnius", LITEXPO, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2012 "Drawing 2012", ‘Arka’ gallery, Vilnius
2011 "XIV INTERBIFEP" Contemporary Portrait Gallery, Tuzla, (Bosna i Hercegovina)
2011 "Self-portrait in the XXI century", ‘Arka’ gallery, Vilnius
2011 "Sight to Yourself", ‘Arka’ gallery, Vilnius
2011 “Behind the White Curtain“ project by Darius Miksys, Venice Biennial, Venice (Italy)
2011 “Contexts of Graphic Art. DECLARATION“, Contemporary Art Center, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2011 "Three Worlds in One", Klaipėda Exhibition Hall, Klaipėda (Lithuania)
2011 "Sight to Yourself", ‘Arka’ gallery, Vilnius, Šiauliai, Telšiai
2010 "Contemporary Painting. PostEvoliution", Klaipėda Exhibition Hall, Klaipėda (Lithuania)
2010 "Imaginary Stories", Manor "Užutrakis", Trakai (Lithuania)
2010 "Drawing 2010", ‘Arka’ gallery, Vilnius
2009 "Art Permanence Rule", Eskilstuna Art Museum, (Sweden)
2009 Project "Millenium", gallery "Kunstpakhuset", Ikast (Denmark)
2009 Malta Arts Festival "the Life Model", Valetta (Malta)
2009 "Changing Attitude 180 degree", Klaipėda Exhibition Hall, Klaipėda (Lithuania)
2009 "ArtVilnius", LITEXPO, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2009 Š. Sauka, P. Juška, Ž. Augustinas, Old Town Art Gallery/Studio, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2009 2nd Quadrennial of Contemporary Art, LITEXPO, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2008 “The 9th Baltic States Biennale of Graphic Art“, Kaliningrad State Art Gallery, Kaliningrad (Russia)
2008 “Young Lithuanian Painters“, Artists Society gallery, Ryga (Latvia)
2008 “From Rainy Country“, G. Gounaro museum, Athens (Greece)
2007 “XIII International Lithuanian Painting Triennial“, Contemporary Art Center, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2006 “Mystery Postcard“, National Portrait Gallery, London (UK)
2004 “XII International Lithuanian Painting Triennial“, Contemporary Art Center, Vilnius (prize) (Lithuania)
2004 “47 th Annual International SDAI exhibition“, San Diego Art Institute, San Diego (USA)
2004 “Contemporary Figurative painting“, Fraser Gallery, Washington (USA)
2003 “Portraits Real & Unreal“, The Stage Gallery, New York (USA)
2002 “BP Portrait Award“, National Portrait Gallery, London (prize) (UK)
2002 “BP Portrait Award 2002“, Aberdeen Art Gallery, Abereeyn (UK)
2001 “ArtLink@Sotheby’s Young Art Program“, Tel Aviv, New York (USA)
2001 “ArtLink@Sotheby’s Young Art Program“, Tel Aviv (Israel)
2000 “Tradition and Future“, Contemporary Art Center, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2000 “Soho International Art Competition“, Agora Gallery, New York (one of the winners) (USA)
2000 “Georgetown Annual International Fine Arts Competition“, Fraser Gallery, Washington (prize) (USA)
1999 “The Dark Side“, Agora Gallery, New York (USA)
1998 “3rd International Biennial of Small Form Graphic“, Arka Gallery, Vilnius (Lithuania)
1997 “V Lithuanian Graphic Exhibition “Tradition and Experiment“, Town Hall, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2024 'The Government's Culture and Art Prize' for significant works for Lithuanian culture and art, Vilnius (Lithuania)
2023 Düsseldorf Kulturamt stipend for residence, Düsseldorf
2023 Lithuanian Council of Culture Scholarship
2022 ArtVilnius prize for the best instalation, „The Lack of Serenity”, “Takas” exhibition space, ArtVilnius, „LITEXPO”, Vilnius
2021 ArtVilnius prize for the quality of exposition, „The Heir Project”, VAA gallery “Titanikas”, ArtVilnius, „LITEXPO”, Vilnius
2020 Lithuanian Council of Culture Scholarship
2018 Prize for the best drawing at "XVII INTERBIFEP", Contemporary Portrait Gallery, Tuzla (Bosnija ir Hercegovina)
2016 Lithuanian Council of Culture Scholarship
2008 Lithuanian Ministry of Culture Scholarship
2005 Prize for the best debut in professional Art by Lithuanian Ministry of Culture
2004 Prize in ‘XII International Lithuanian Painting Triennial’, Contemporary Art Center, Vilnius
2003 Lithuanian Ministry of Culture Scholarship
2002 BP Portrait Award second prize, National Portrait Gallery, London
2002 Elizabeth Greenshield Foundation Scholarship
2001 ASCR scholarship for studies at Florence Art Academy
2000 Third Prize in ‘The Year 2000 Georgetown Annual International Fine Arts Competition’, Washington
2000 Paul Soldner Scholarship
2000 Joanne & Lee Lyons International Scholarship Fund scholarships for Anderson Ranch Arts Center
1994 Journey to Italy for the best masters of drawing at Vilnius Academy of Art
1991/98 Studied at Vilnius Academy of Art
1991/93 Design speciality
1993/98 Printmaking speciality
1996 BFA degree (Printmaking, etching)
1998 MFA degree (Printmaking, etching)
2000 Joe Santore’s (New York) workshop at Anderson Ranch Arts Center
2001 Figurative painting at Florence Academy of Art (summer session)
2003-2004 Studies at the Art Student’s League of New York
2008 Art Licenciate degree, Vilnius Academy of Art
2015 Doctor of Art degree, Vilnius Academy of Art
Lectures/public Speaking Engagements:
2021 Presentation of the artistic research project „Constructing a picture of a national leader who never existed“, congress „To Research or Not To Research in the Post-disciplinary Academy?“, Vilnius Academy of Art
2018 Discution "Research: Practitioner | Curator | Educator“.
moderated by prof. dr. Marquard Smith, Nacionalinė dailės galerija, Vilnius
2018 Performance "The State in the Past Future" in the conference "Arts in the State - The state in Arts", National Gallery of Art, Vilnius
2016 Visiting artist at "BP Next Generation Taster Session“, National Portrait Gallery, London
2015 Conference "Body:Out of Time and Without of Place“, Contemporary Art Center, Vilnius
2013 Conference „Drawing: Real Space – Created Space“, Gdansk Academy of Art, Gdansk (Poland)
2008 Life painting “Japanese Girls watching storks” Balticum TV, Klaipeda
2008 Lecture “Painting and Image” at Klaipėda Cultural Communication Centre, Klaipeda
2008 Lecture “Art Language”, 45th Painters Colony at Izlake, Slovenia
2006 Lecture “Two different schools” at Conference ‘Drawing” at ‘Academia’ gallery, Vilnius
Symposiums/Plainairs:
2022 The 13th SAR Conference on Artistic Research “Mend/Blend/Attend’, Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Germany
2021 Congress „To Research or Not To Research in the Post-disciplinary Academy? “, Vilniaus dailės akademija
2021 The 12th SAR Conference on Artistic Research “Dare/Care/Share”, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Vienna, Austria
2020 Symposium "Creator Doctus Training Program", Merz Akademie, Stuttgart, Germany
2018 “ПЛЕНЭР-2018 Кыргызстан”, Cholpon Ata, Republic of Kirgiztan r
2014 “The Future of the Image”, Nida Art Colony, Nida, Lithuania
2012 ELIAS conference „Nida/SHRE”, Nida, Lithuania
2010 KUNO conference „TEACHING MEDIA IN THE AGE OF POST-MEDIALITY”, Helsinki, Finland
2008 Life painting “Japanese Girls watching storks” at Klaipėda Cultural Communication Centre, Klaipeda
2008 “45th Painters Colony”, Islake, Slovenia
2007 Life painting “Bacchus” at Klaipėda Cultural Communication Centre, Klaipeda
2006,2007 “Dipolis”, Bikuskis, Lithuania
2004,2005 “LA’Gallery artists”, Bikuskis, Lithuania
Other activity:
2022- Member of Lithuanian Interdisciplinary Artists’ Association
2021-22 Member of SAR (Society of Artistic Research), Amsterdam (Olandija)
2021- Member of Senate of Vilnius Academy of Art, Vilnius
2021- Chair person of dctoral committee, Vilnius Academy of Art, Vilnius
2016 "The Best Diploma Works from the Academies of Fine Arts 2016" jury memeber, Gdansk Academy of Art, Gdansk, Poland
2012 "Yong Painter Prize" jury member, gallery "Titanikas", Vilnius, Lithuania
2012 "From Drawing to Shadow" jury, "Kaire-desine", Vilniuis, Lithuania
2008 Workshop of painting at Klaipeda Cultural Communication Center
2005- Lecturer of drawing at Vilnius Academy of Art
2003 Workshop of etching at National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art
2001- Instructor of drawing at National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art
1996-2001 Designer of magazine “Vyras ir Moteris”
