Zenonas Varnauskas ir Kauno tekstilės mokykla

LTStraipsnyje siekiama nušviesti dailininko ir pedagogo Zenono Varnausko (1923–2010) indėlį į dailininkų (ypač tekstilininkų) rengimą svarbiausiuose XX a. antros pusės Kauno dailės židiniuose – Kauno valstybiniame taikomosios ir dekoratyvinės dailės institute (1947–1950), Kauno Stepo Žuko taikomosios dailės technikume (1949–1960 m. jis čia dirbo savo įkurto Tekstilės skyriaus vedėju) ir Lietuvos dailės instituto Kauno vakariniame skyriuje (nuo 1959), prie kurio organizavimo dailininkas daug prisidėjo. Varnausko nuopelnus Kauno tekstilės mokyklai bandoma apibendrinti pasitelkus faktografinį-analitinį metodą, remiantis archyvine ir dokumentine medžiaga, šeimos narių ir jo studentų prisiminimais. Vertinant dailininko kūrinius, remiamasi formaliosios analizės elementais. [Iš leidinio]Reikšminiai žodžiai: Zenonas Varnauskas; Kauno tekstilės mokykla; Lietuvos tekstilė; Kauno valstybinis taikomosios ir dekoratyvinės dailės institutas; Kauno Stepo Žuko taikomosios dailės technikumas; Zenonas Varnauskas; Kaunas textile school; Lithuanian textile; Kaunas State Institute of Applied and Decorative Arts; Kaunas Stepas Žukas’ College of Applied Arts.

ENThe article describes the artist and educator Zenonas Varnauskas’ (1923-2010) merits to the Kaunas textile school. Varnauskas was the first textile worker trained at the Kaunas State Institute of Applied and Decorative Arts who in 1947 received diploma No. 1 from the institute. He was given the opportunity to study textile from Viktoras Petravičius, Antanas Tamošaitis and Liudas Truikys. After absorbing his teachers’ experience Varnauskas created his own educational system, which he implanted in three Kaunas Arts institutions. At first he taught at Kaunas State Institute of Applied and Decorative Arts (1947–1950). In 1949 he also started working at Kaunas Stepas Žukas’ College of Applied Arts (which was then called Kaunas School of Fine Crafts), where he established the Department of Textile. From 1959 Varnauskas worked at Kaunas Evening Applied Arts Department of Lithuanian State Institute of Arts (until 1997) and played a major role in its organising. Z. Varnauskas was well acquainted with the needs of textile enterprises and therefore he applied the teaching programmes to production needs. In this article Varnauskas’ portrait is painted with reference to archival and documentary material, reminiscences of his family members and students. They reveal his colourful and versatile personality, blending with his innate temperament, charisma and strong will. Z. Varnauskas’ creative heritage would have been much more abundant, if he had dedicated his endeavours exclusively to creative work. Yet the artist dived deep into educational activities, took part in various organisations and commissions, and contributed greatly to the founding of Kaunas Textile School. Not many of his own textile works remain and they differ from the general tendencies of Lithuanian textile, being characteristic of the second part of 20th century.Varnauskas’ paintings were also unlike the typical examples of the Lithuanian painting school. They were small in size, spontaneous, marked by uneven rhythm, recording the mood of the moment and due to this unique style Varnauskas didn’t have any followers and with his works did not influence other artists. However, Z. Varnauskas became famous as a talented pedagogue of Arts. All the young people who were dreaming about joining the artist’s profession wanted to study with him. Varnauskas was the initiator and teacher of the preparatory courses for the entrance exams in Kaunas. These courses were attended by many now famous Lithuanian artists. [From the publication]

• Dailininko Zenono Varnausko (1923–2010) tekstilės meno ištakos ir raida / Rasa Žukienė. Logos (Vilnius). 2020, 105, p. 102-108.
• Suderinti (ne)suderinamą: tapatumo paieškos ankstyvajame sovietiniame tekstilės dizaine ("Kauno audinių" atvejis) / Lijana Šatavičiūtė-Natalevičienė. Acta Academiae Artium Vilnensis 2021, t. 103, p. 17-56.