Trys bičiulės, trys grafikės: Irena Daukšaitė, Elvyra Katalina Kriaučiūnaitė ir Nijolė Šaltenytė

LTStraipsnyje pateikta trijų vienos kartos ir vienos meninės mokyklos auklėtinių, grafikių, kolegių ir artimų draugių - Irenos Daukšaitės, Elvyros Katalinos Kriaučiūnaitės ir Nijolės Šaltenytės - kūrybos apžvalga, remiantis jų pagrindinės meninės veiklos srities - lakštinės grafikos pavyzdžiais. Iki šiol dailininkų kūryba nėra išsamiau tyrinėta. Analizuojant jų meninės veiklos eigą bei pokyčius, siekiama nors iš dalies nusakyti jų vietą Lietuvos estampo raidoje, įvardyti šių grafikių kūrybinio bendrumo ir skirtingumo priežastis, neatsiejamas nuo glaudaus bičiuliško tarpusavio ryšio. [Iš leidinio]Reikšminiai žodžiai: Irena Daukšaitė; Elvyra Katalina Kriaučiūnaitė; Nijolė Šaltenytė; Estampas; Ofortas; Irena Daukšaitė; Elvyra Katalina Kriaučiūnaitė; Nijolė Šaltenytė; Contemporary graphics.

ENThe article presents an overview of creation of three graphic artists of one generation and graduates from one and the same artistic school, colleagues and close friends Irena Daukšaitė, Elvyra Katalina Kriaučiūnaitė and Nijolė Šaltenytė, which was carried out on the basis of examples of printmaking, which is their main artistic activity. The beginning of their creative path coincides with the so-called 'female' generation, which made a push into Lithuanian graphics in the beginning of 80s. It introduced more emotionality, sensitivity into Lithuanian graphics. Plastic expression in Lithuanian graphics ofthat period became more metaphorical and complicated. Then the popular linocut was gradually replaced by classical metal techniques, which enabled artists to convey more chamber intonations, more subtle tonal gradations and quiver of delicate lines of tracery. Artists of young generation were united by their wish to maintain internal independence, to philosophise on ethic categories and issues of existence. They were not interested in folk styling Lithuanian graphics. Their works contain Lithuanian identity, which is encoded in nostalgic lyrical emotion and in expressive character of the form. The creative works of all the three artists consistently acquired post-modernist character concurrently following general trends in European graphics. Experience accumulated while participating in republican and international art exhibitions expanded their outlook, enabled the artists to perceive latest trends in contemporary graphics, which resulted in changes in their individual artistic style. Significant awards received in republican and international exhibitions of graphics evidence the ability of these artists to express own ideas through universal art images.Close friendship of the three artists and their everlasting communication inevitably conditioned certain similarities of artistic expression in their creation. Lyricism and romantic elevation were most vividly revealed in the early works by Irena Daukšaitė. The early Nijolė Šaltenytės and Elvyra Katalina Kriaučiūnaitė's creation developed towards similar post-modernist trend. All the three artists purposefully used more complex and metaphorical plastic language, only Šaltenytė searched for creative impulses in surrealistic manner, whereas the creation of Daukšaitė and Kriaučiūnaitė to bigger and bigger extent approached esthetisized, perfectly composed abstraction in terms of artistic forms used. Their engravings pregnantly enrich positions of contemporary Lithuanian graphics, which is oriented towards decorative abstraction. Enjoyment of colours, emotional pictorial features are characteristic of both Daukšaitė and Kriaučiūnaitė, but hand-made paper is the distinctive sign in the creative works by the latter artist. The only Nijolė Šaltenytė remained faithful to the figurative. Colour in her works is always minimal and it is usually applied only to highlight the emphasised elements of the work. More radical changes in the style were not observed in the works by Šaltenytė: there was a gradual transition from landscape compositions of chamber, fragile nature and full of elements of romantic flight to generalised monumental form and multi-meaningful expression. The three artists are not indifferent to artistic life in Lithuania and to development of contemporary graphics: they are active participants in republican and thematic exhibitions of engravings, the artists are also organisers, curators of exhibitions and compilers of exhibition catalogues. For many years Nijolė Šaltenytė has been chairperson of Graphics Unit within the Lithuanian Artists' Association.The artists are stimulated by huge spiritual potential, a continuous striving for improvisation. They do not avoid mixing and combining expression means characteristic of post-modernist art. They expand the limits of the concept of graphics, free of technological limitations, employing digital print and creating spatial objects. In the panorama of contemporary graphics, the artists are distinguished not only by their productivity but also by their ability to renew, change and surprise. [From the publication]