Neighbors Saulius and his wife, Ritma, have also lived in our courtyard for a long time. Their son’s upcoming wedding inspired the recollection of wedding rituals that used to take place here and led to the creation of two artworks dedicated to them—“The Wedding Wardrobe” and “Saulius’ Shoes.” The prototypes of this story contributed to both pieces: they provided retro-style shoes for the bride and groom, painted them white, and “placed” them next to the painting on the wall.
In creating their own wedding photo on the wall, they were not only participants but also the creators of their wedding portrait. On their son’s wedding day, the entire family and relatives took a commemorative photo next to the artworks depicting their family’s history.
“Saulius’ Shoes”: During the lighting ceremony of the “Holy Trinity” painting, Saulius himself hammered in the nail, and we “hung” the shoes. Those shoes had been lying by the door for a long time, so I asked if I could paint them.
“As if I had never seen shoes before, I begin to study their appearance, their expression… their shape and the worn-out top, and I notice that the wrinkles and white stitches give them a certain character, a kind of physiognomy. Something from my own essence has passed into those shoes, and they exude a sense of closeness, as if they carry a living part of me…”
Kiemo Galerija 