ArtVilnius’22 News: Ecology, Date in Autumn, and Applications

ArtVilnius, the largest and oldest international contemporary art fair in Eastern and Northern Europe, returns to the Litexpo Exhibition and Congress Centre for the 13th time. Having changed from a summer event to an autumn one, the fair will take place on 7-9 October and is already waiting for participants’ applications. 

The international contemporary art fair ArtVilnius has grown in quality over the course of its thirteen years of operation and is no longer just a traditional gallery art fair. The organizers of the event focus on activating the Baltic market, creating synergies between art and business, and networking, while the event’s regional uniqueness and activities have created a permanent and strong base of art institutions, galleries, artists, collectors, and business partners. 

“The content of ArtVilnius is unique in the context of other international fairs in the area. Emphasizing the importance of art education, every year we introduce visitors to world-renowned projects, artists, and ideas, both in the Project Zone, which is unparalleled in Eastern and Northern European fairs, and in the sculpture and installation exhibition Takas. During the fair, we organize a programme of discussions, lectures, talks, and other additional events,” said Diana Stomienė, the director of the art fair and president of the Lithuanian Art Gallerists’ Association.

Theme – Ecology 

The theme of ArtVilnius’22 is ecology, and special attention will be paid to the genres of installation and sculpture. This theme was proposed by Valentinas Klimašauskas, a renowned curator of contemporary art and writer, who was invited to curate this year’s non-commercial Project Zone. 

According to the curator, the theme of ecology has changed the face of the planet and, undoubtedly, of global and local contemporary art. “Accordingly, being aware that ecology is intertwined with socio-political categories and manifests itself in various forms, we would like to draw attention to this theme and highlight the genres of installation and sculpture. Sculpture and installation in the “extended field” often overlap with the ecologically intertwined phenomena of environmental art and the world as a processual work of art. At the same time, by taking advantage of the plurality and capacity of the discourse of ecology, it is also a rather favorable opportunity to reinterpret both the work of various artists and the concept of ecology, as well as to change the activities of one’s own institution in the direction of sustainability,” said Klimašauskas.

In this context, the Project Zone will introduce itself with the project Feverish Bodies, or if Civilizations Were Created by Artists and Museums, which will act as an opportunity to co-create, together with regional institutional partners and invited artists, a temporary utopian urban micro-neighborhood for art and museums.

In the context of successive ecological, socio-political, and other crises affecting the world, we will try to raise questions, such as is there still a future for us, are we still capable of creating visions, what environments and manifestations can still be considered visionary, or what can we borrow or remind ourselves of from the past? 

The theme of ecology and the focus on the genres of installation and sculpture will be reflected in the entire context of ArtVilnius’22, in the galleries, in the Project Zone, and in the discussion programme.  

ArtVilnius Programme

Every year, ArtVilnius brings together around 60 art galleries from 15-20 countries (Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Italy, France, etc.). The applications of the galleries are reviewed and selected by a jury of art critics and art market experts, thus ensuring the professionalism of the galleries participating in the fair. The fair attracts around 23,000 visitors each year and is widely covered by both Lithuanian and foreign media. For the 13th time, ArtVilnius’22 will be held at Litexpo, the largest exhibition and conference center in the Baltic States, in three main halls and outdoors, covering a total area of 12,000 square meters.

Traditionally, during ArtVilnius’22, a jury of international art experts, as well as visitors, will choose the best participants of the fair: galleries, artists, and works. Art discussions, lectures, and presentations will take place in the interactive LRT studio, and a Young Collector’s Stand will be presented for beginner art collectors. Art critics will give tours of the fair, while those who cannot visit Litexpo will be able to take a 3D virtual tour of the fair.

Accepting Applications

Art galleries wishing to participate in ArtVilnius’22, which will take place on 7-9 October, can now submit their applications, which will be accepted until 30 May. The organizers are also welcoming applications from individual artists to take part in the sculpture, installation, and performance exhibition Takas. 

ArtVilnius’22 is funded by the Lithuanian Council for Culture
Supported by Vilnius City Municipality
Maecenas is the law firm Cobalt
Exclusive partner Lewben