The first group of Individualists was established within the Lithuanian Artists’ Association on March 19, 1939, when more progressively minded artists broke away from the Realists. Later that year, on November 19, they organized the Fifth Autumn Art Exhibition of the Individualists Section at the Museum of Culture in Kaunas. In the exhibition catalog’s introduction, titled “Art as an Expression of Individuality, Nationality, and Modernity,” J. Keliuotis outlined artistic principles that were more modern than those of the Realist section, asserting that “the form of art is the foundation of the existence of art,” and that “it is concrete, alive, individual.” “Only the experience of art that has found its form is authentic.”
Among the exhibiting painters was A. Gudaitis, whose students later initiated the revival of the Individualists group following the restoration of Lithuania’s independence. In 1993, they held an exhibition at the Klaipėda Art Exhibition Hall. Subsequent exhibitions were organized in Kaunas and Vilnius (35 times), Palanga (7), Kėdainiai and Panevėžys (4 each), and once in Nida, Jonava, Bikuškis, and Molėtai.
The Individualists have also represented Lithuanian painting internationally, mainly in art museums, with exhibitions held in London, Athens, Yalta, Sharjah (UAE), Erfurt, Strasbourg, Brussels, and various cities in Poland, as well as in other prestigious venues abroad. Throughout their history, the group has remained committed to national identity in an era of growing globalization, professional artistic standards, the expressive power of visual language, the tradition of colorist painting, and a modern approach to Lithuanian cultural heritage—while remaining open to a variety of contemporary art movements.
The current anniversary exhibition at Vilnius Town Hall is the fourth such showcase. The first was held in Klaipėda (1993), the second at Vilnius Town Hall (1999), and the third at the Gariūnai Cultural Center in Vilnius (2014). This fourth exhibition returns to Vilnius Town Hall to mark the group’s distinguished 30-year anniversary. It is the only art group in independent Lithuania that has remained active and united over the decades. The association has been successfully led by A. Stasiulevičius, S. Armonas, and A. Kliauga. Its longevity is likely due to its unwavering commitment to professional artistic values and its respect for individual expression. The group’s inclusive approach—welcoming diverse styles united by attention to cultural roots, visual language, and technical mastery—has affirmed its place as a valuable cultural institution.
The exhibition features not only today’s creative painters but also pays tribute to those who have passed away, leaving a distinct and lasting mark on Lithuanian painting: D. Andriulionis, A. Beinaravičius, J. Čeponis, L. Jankus, A. Jusionis, R. Lankauskas, V. Pinkevičius, A. Savickas, L. Tuleikis, G. Uogintaitė, and A. Vozbinas.
When the group was first formed, the dominant style was that of the Lithuanian colorist school. Today, its artists explore a wide range of approaches—primitivist, mythological, spatial-poetic, decorative, expressive (gesture painting), and abstract. Within these diverse styles, the artists strive to preserve the individuality of expression—especially through the plastic language of painting, which often makes it possible to recognize the hand of the artist.
Nijolė Tumėnienė, PhD
