The Lithuanian theatre artists and professionals of the 1950s and 1960s sought ways to introduce changes in line with their own circumstances and abilities. Various events attempted to draw attention to stage imagery, including a conference of theatre professionals held in Vilnius in 1956, and the "Baltic Theatrical Spring" in Riga.
Of particular significance was the First Theatre Arts Conference in Kaunas in 1964. Participants discussed the achievements of theatre designers and vindicated the works of Stasys Ušinskas and Liudas Truikys, who had earlier been accused of formalism:
Until now, the works [of Truikys] had gone unrecognized and they had not found their proper place. They will be considered Lithuanian classics and will have an influence on every sensitive artist working in this field
Much criticism was directed at rushed works that deserved to be rejected. The conference resolved to encourage the diversity of individual artistic work and to promote set designers and "lighten their workload." The greatest recognition was given to the works of Feliksas Navickas. His set designs for the play Generalinė repeticija (Dress Rehearsal) were included in the international publication entitled World Set Design After 1950
No theatre professional earned more awards than those designers who participated in various exhibitions and festivals. Navickas brought home his first diploma in 1958 from the Baltic Theatre Festival in Tallinn, and in 1960, in Riga, he was awarded a First Degree Diploma at the Baltic Set Design Exhibition. In 1963 Navickas was honoured as a laureate of the Lithuanian Theatre Festival in Vilnius. Juozas Jankus was awarded the USSR State Prize in 1952; Jonas Surkevičius was given the "Badge of Honour" medal at the Lithuanian Literature and Arts Festival in Moscow in 1954; and the title of Distinguished Artist of the Lithuanian SSR was conferred upon Juozas Jankus in 1954, Regina Songailaitė and Jonas Surkevičius in 1959, and Michail Percov and Joana Taujanskienė in 1965. Furthermore, Jankus and Songailaitė were honoured with the LSSR State Prize in 1952 and 1960, respectively, while Jankus also received the honorary title of People's Artist in 1957. Lithuanian theatre artists also became known abroad and their recognition brought new attention to the importance of imagery and the role of designers in the theatre.
Set designers shared their knowledge by participating in Soviet theatre exhibitions in Moscow (1966, 1967) and Leningrad (1965, 1967), and at an exhibition of the Baltic republics in Riga in 1964. Viktorija Gatavynaitė participated in exhibitions of the works of young set designers in Moscow (1959) and Brazil (1960), while Feliksas Navickas took part in a set design exhibition in Montreal in 1964.
Prior to leaving for important "All-Union" exhibitions, Lithuanian artists prepared by "rehearsing" their works at local, republican-level, shows in Vilnius (1957, 1961 and 1963), and began to celebrate their work by organising personal theatre arts exhibits. Such shows were organised to feature the works of Juzefa Čeičytė in 1959, Mstislavas Dobužinskis and Mykolas Labuckas in 1963, Vytautas Palaima in 1965, and Michail Percov in 1969. The exhibits were accompanied by modest catalogues and articles in the local press that emphasized the impact of set design on theatre imagery.
Set design's prestige also grew from the contributions of the first theatre design critics. The most prolific authors writing about set design at this time were the former students of Stasys Ušinskas, who had devoted considerable attention in his lectures to the analysis of artistic works. His students, including the painter Jonas Mackonis, monumentalist Rachilė Krukaitė and art critic Veronika Kulešova-Budrienė, helped to give perspective on the state of set design and the changes taking place in the field. The first doctoral dissertation on set design,"The Set Design of Musical Productions in Lithuanian Theatre", appeared in 1968. That same year, the publication Lithuanian Set Design was published that included a contribution by Mackonis.
A renewed vigour in the world of theatre as well as attention to set design and new opportunities inspired more attention to be directed to the field. Many artists who had begun their artistic studies in painting or interior design at the Vilnius Academy of Arts later shifted their focus to set design. Young, promising artists emerged on the scene. Leading them was Feliksas Navickas, Feliksas NavickasTheatre artist, was born on 5 November 1922 in Lobai (in the county of Kurkliai, Ukmergė District). Navickas created set designs characterised by metaphors and an elevated idealism.
He attended preparatory courses at the Vilnius State University in 1947, and studied at the Vilnius Academy of Arts from 1947 to 1953, earning a degree as a theatre artist. After graduation he was appointed to the Lithuanian State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, where he worked as an artist until 1958. That same year he became a master builder at the Kaunas State Musical Drama Theatre. From 1959 to 1968, Navickas was the senior designer at the Kaunas State Drama Theatre, and then senior designer for the Lithuanian State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre from 1979 to 1983. Navickas was a member of the Lithuanian Theatre Union (since 1955) and the Lithuanian Artists' Union (from 1961).
Navickas began participating in exhibitions in 1955, including: a showcase of his own works in Kaunas (1965), the Republican Theatre Artists' Exhibitions in Vilnius (1955, 1979), the Baltic Set Design Exhibition (Riga – 1960, 1963), the Vilnius Triennial (1977), and exhibitions of set design in Montreal (1964) and Argentina (1965). Awards include: First Degree Diploma from the USSR Artists' Union for his participation in the Baltic Set Design Exhibition in Riga, 1960; a diploma from the 1958 Baltic Theatre Festival in Tallinn for his set design for The Twentieth Spring, and a diploma for his set design for a production of Arthur Miller's All My Sons at the 1963 Lithuanian Theatre Festival in Vilnius. architect and set designer Algimantas Mikėnas, Algimantas MikėnasArchitect and theatre artist, was born on 29 April 1929 in Kaunas, and was known for his development of an expressionist, visual language in theatre.
After graduating from the Applied and Decorative Arts Institute in Kaunas in 1946, Mikėnas studied at the School of Architecture of Vytautas Magnus University, receiving his architectural degree in 1952. Mikėnas worked as a theatre designer at the Panevėžys Drama Theatre from 1961 to 1979, and during this period also designed theatre buildings for the Klaipėda Musical Theatre (1963) and Panevėžys Drama Theatre (1967). Mikėnas worked as an educator for a short period of time, teaching at the Kaunas branch of the Lithuanian Arts Institute in 1964. From 1953 to 2006 he worked as an architect at various construction and design firms. Mikėnas died in Kaunas on 10 March 2006. and Igor Ivanov Igor IvanovTheatre artist and painter, was born in Leningrad on 16 January 1937, and was known for his work developing artistic independence and opportunities in authorial work in dramatic theatre.
Ivanov studied at the Leningrad School of the Arts from 1950 to 1956, and at the Repin Institute for Painting, Sculpture and Architecture in Leningrad from 1956 to 1962. Ivanov lived and worked in Lithuania from 1962 to 1971, becoming known for his work as a designer and director. Since 1971, Ivanov resides in Leningrad (St. Petersburg), and has participated in artistic exhibitions since 1962. In 1972 he was awarded the First Prize at the All-Union Young Theatre Artists' Competition in Moscow. and Michail Percov, Michail PercovTheatre artist and painter, was born on 26 May 1919 in Kazan, Russia, and was known for his experimentation in Soviet Lithuanian theatre with brave new forms and methods.
After graduating from a trade school in Odessa, Percov studied painting at the Odessa School for the Arts from 1936 to 1939. He moved to Vilnius in 1946. Percov worked as a theatre artist at the Žemaičių Drama Theatre from 1947 to 1949, the Šiauliai Drama Theatre from 1949 to 1953, and the Lithuanian State Academic Drama Theatre from 1953 to 1970. From 1970 to 1989, he was the senior theatre artist at the Lithuanian State Russian Drama Theatre. Percov's most productive artistic period began in the 1960s. From 1959 to 1979 he lectured at the Lithuanian State Conservatory and joined the Lithuanian Artists' Union in 1959.
Percov painted in oil, watercolours and ink, creating landscapes and thematic compositions. His personal works were exhibited in Vilnius in 1965, 1966 and 1969. In 1965 he was awarded the title of Distinguished Artist of the Lithuanian SSR. Percov died in Vilnius on 15 December 2001. both hailing from Russia.
A new generation of female set designers also debuted successfully in Lithuania, including Janina Malinauskaitė, Janina MalinauskaitėTheatre artist and painter, was born on 25 February 1935 in Kaunas. Malinauskaitė made a name for herself as a rebellious experimenter in Soviet theatre, and became one of the most prominent set designers of the 1970s and 1980s as a creator of conceptual and grotesque set designs.
She studied painting at the Lithuanian State Art Institute, receiving a degree in set design in 1959 (studying under Vytautas Palaima). While studying, she designed sets for productions staged at the Klaipėda and Vilnius Russian Drama Theatres. Malinauskaitė began working at the Kaunas Drama Theatre as a designer in 1959. She has been a member of the Lithuanian Artists' Union since 1964, and has exhibited her works in Lithuania and abroad since 1960. Dalia Mataitienė, Dalia Lidija MataitienėBorn 6 June 1936 in Klaipėda, was one of the most renowned Lithuanian theatre artists of the 1970s, creating her own style of romantically uplifting set designs using colours often featured in Lithuanian art.
She earned her degree in theatre arts upon graduation from the Lithuanian State Art Institute in 1960. Mataitienė worked as an artist with the Lithuanian State Academic Drama Theatre from 1960 to 1961, with the "Lietuva" State Song and Dance Ensemble from 1962 to 1964, and with the Lithuanian Film Studios from 1964 to 1965. She has been a member of the Lithuanian Artists' Union since 1961, and was a member of the Lithuanian Theatre Society from 1961 to 1987. Mataitienė was a member of the Lithuanian Arts Foundation from 1964 to 1988, and has participated in artistic exhibitions since 1960. Joana Taujanskienė Joana TaujanskienėTheatre artist, was born on 12 July 1924, in Šiauliai. Her extensive body of work and command of various genres was an example for many other theatre artists.
From 1939 to 1943, Taujanskienė studied at the Šiauliai Teachers' School, where Juozas Jankus was then giving instruction in drawing. From 1942 to 1944, Taujanskienė attended the Art Studio in Šiauliai, studying under instructors such as Gerardas Bagdonavičius, Leonas Katinas and Teofilis Petraitis. She briefly worked as a teacher at a middle school in Radviliškis in 1944 before entering the Vilnius Art Institute in 1945, where she studied painting and, after several breaks in her studies, she graduated from the theatre decoration department (then under the direction of Vytautas Palaima) in 1953. Upon graduation she was appointed to the Lithuanian Opera and Ballet Theatre in Vilnius, but soon returned to her native Šiauliai. All of her subsequent work was done in association with the Šiauliai Drama Theatre, where Taujanskienė worked as a senior designer from 1954 to 1979. She also contributed to the work of non-professional theatre productions in Šiauliai, Telšiai and Naujoji Akmenė.
In 1955 she took part in an exhibition of Lithuanian theatre artists. Taujanskienė was honoured with the title of Distinguished Artist of the Lithuanian SSR in 1965, and was awarded with honorary certificates from the Lithuanian Supreme Soviet Presidium and the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture. Taujanskienė died in Šiauliai on 15 August 1983. and Viktorija Gatavynaitė, Theatre designer, was born on 31 May 1933, in Kaunas, and was known for her set designs embodying youthful angst and meaningfully recurring motifs.
Gatavynaitė received her degree in set design in 1958 from the Lithuanian State Art Institute (under Vytautas Palaima). In 1957 she lectured at the Vilnius Technical School for Culture and Education, and later at the Vilnius School of the Arts in 1959. Gatavynaitė worked as a theatre designer at the Lithuanian Opera and Ballet Theatre from 1958 to 1962, and as a set builder and decorator at Lithuanian Television from 1962 to 1971.
She participated in many theatre art exhibitions, including: exhibitions of the works of young set designers in Moscow (1959) and Brazil (1960), an exhibition of set designs of the Baltic republics (1964), the Baltic Set Design Triennials in Riga (1973) and Vilnius (1977), the All-Union Exhibition of Theatre, Cinema and Television Design in Moscow (1967), and the Lithuanian Theatre Artists' Exhibition in Vilnius (in 1963 and 1966). who added their contributions to the work of such established female theatre artists as Regina Songailaitė and Juzefa Čeičytė. All of these artists influenced the further development of Lithuanian set design. When examining the set designs of that period, one comment from that period is often cited:
The new generation of artists that arrived on the theatre scene after 1960 almost immediately became the centre of much commotion, sparking new interest in and lively discussions of their work
After a long pause that followed the first stirring of audience emotions by set design in the 19th century, much of that interest was rekindled by the works of the mid-20th century.
Innovation in theatre was embraced with great fervour, but not without difficulty. The works of set designer Juzefa Čeičytė were condemned on several occasions. One of the first productions featuring abstract set designs that provoked strong audience criticism was Žuvėdros palydi (The Seagulls Follow) by Viktoras Miliūnas, staged in 1960. Theatre critic I. Aleksaitė remembers:
One audience member thrashed the set designer's work with a few curt sentences and, with enviable self-confidence, began to describe the scene as he would have liked to have seen it. After accusing Čeičytė of 'blatant modernism', the comrade collected himself and sat back down. Oddly enough, the actors also immediately began to rebuke the artist
Actors opposed many of Čeičytė's concepts. Great effort was always required to remove superfluous objects from the stage.
During rehearsals for Gylys (The Gadfly)," Čeičytė recalls, "one actress demanded that a railing be constructed for her (to provide more comfort, more meaning!). I satisfied her request. But, during the dress rehearsal, I took down the prop without any prior warning. Strangely enough, the actress never missed it
Set designers frequently also had difficulty finding a common language with directors. Designer Janina Malinauskaitė remembers long negotiations over the design of sets for King Lear:
There were all kinds of versions. Designs now are not fully utilised. There must always be a strong connection between director and designer. Now, I am left on my own, and the direction is on its own
But directors did not give in: "We can perform with these designs, but I can't really embrace them. I don't feel any innovative or new ideas." Other critics were also of different opinions: some felt that "triangular panels were glaring," while others like them
It is very likely that many such conflicts with producers provoked drastic decisions by designers to leave the theatre or to stage dramatic works on their own to test their directorial abilities. Juzefa Čeičytė, having worked in theatre since 1949, left the stage in 1962 to collaborate with the Lithuanian Film Studios. Igor Ivanov left the Youth Theatre in 1968.
Yet, despite these losses, producers and directors found positive elements arising from these confrontations. Director Povilas Gaidys noted:
While it may sound shocking, I became convinced that constant conflict with audiences was the only productive path forward for any theatre. In its attempts to grow, theatre must educate audiences, nurturing the viewer's artistic understanding. Such education is usually always conflictual by nature
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