Lietuvių išeivijos aplinka fotografijose iš Aleksandro Mykolo Račkaus rinkinio

LTStraipsnyje apžvelgiamos kolekcininko Aleksandro Mykolo Račkaus fotografijų rinkinio patekimo į Vytauto Didžiojo kultūros muziejų aplinkybės, aptariama fotografijose vaizduojama lietuvių išeivijos aplinka, kurios skirtumus lemia joje vykdomos veiklos pobūdis. Atskleidžiamos rinkinio fotografijų sąsajos su kitais Fototekos ir dokumentacijos skyriuje saugomais eksponatais. Reikšminiai žodžiai: Kolekcininkas A. M. Račkus, lietuvių išeivija JAV, fotografija, Pasaulio lietuvių kongresas, numizmatika. [Iš leidinio]

ENThe Department of Photography and Documentation of M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art holds over 1,700 photographs from the collection of the public figure and collector Aleksandras Mykolas Račkus. The greatest part of this collection was accumulated by Račkus, when he lived in the USA in the 2nd–4th decade of the 20th century. After receiving the invitation from the Lithuanian Government to attend the First World Lithuanian Congress in Kaunas, in 1935 the collector brought to Lithuania the collection of the Museum of Lithuanian Numismatics and History. The museum was presented in Lithuania as Dr. A. M. Račkus Museum. A.M. Račkus opened two exhibitions under one common name “How do Lithuanians Live in America?” at Vytautas Magnus Museum. At the end of the exhibition, about 80,000 exhibits were handed over to Lithuania for a symbolic amount of LTL 100,000. He collected Lithuanian iconographic material or foreign contextual material for comparison. The photographs reflect the household, work, organizational, religious environment of the Lithuanian emigrants, as well as various activities that Lithuanians carried out in emigration. The photographs were collected from all USA states where Lithuanian emigrants were most abundant. Although it does not belong to the collection of A. M. Račkus’ photographs, J. A. Kubilius’ collection, which consists of 384 photographs, is closely related to the depicted subjects.It distinguishes in its size, design, precise arrangement of the photographs. The smaller groups in the collection of A. M. Račkus consist of photographs of other Lithuanian photographers, such as W. J. Stankunas, P. Conrad, V. Velzis, P. Puckorius, J. A. Mickeliunas, and J. Baltrush. Lithuanian emigrants and their surroundings were also photographed by American photographers: Herbert Rebman, Jack Thamm, J. M. Mac Fadyen, Precin Studio, Wyoming Studio and others. Some of the photographs on the back are marked with a stamp: Exhibit No. of the world Lithuanians 1st congress press exhibition, showing the exhibiting of a concrete photograph in this exhibition that was held in 1935. The present paper gives a more detailed overview of the circumstances how the collection of photographs appeared in the museum, discusses its importance in historical, cultural and other aspects, and reveals links to other exhibits stored in the Department of Photography and Documentation. [From the publication]