Hi Martynas ! A pleasure to have you with us today, can you please tell us how did
your path as an artist started ?
I come from Tauragė, a small town in Lithuania, so growing up I had never even heard of graffiti. But in 2005, a magazine with articles and photos about Berlin graffiti fell into my hands. At the time, it completely blew the mind of my fourteen-year-old self. I was absolutely captivated by this phenomenon, and from that moment on I fully immersed myself in graffiti.
As the years passed, creativity was always with me, constantly evolving into new forms. Graffiti lettering progressed, and my hands began to draw characters, illustrations, and paintings. After finishing school, I entered a phase of animation and computer graphics, which unfortunately led to burnout in 2017 after an endless stream of advertising animations and commercial projects. The cure for my soul became a return to my creative roots: murals and illustrations, which eventually transformed once again into paintings on canvas.
How did graffiti influence your art ?
I feel that graffiti taught me to better perceive the work as a whole, and it allowed me to meet many interesting people who, in one way or another, influenced my creative work. Graffiti pulled me out of a closed home environment, creating opportunities to draw in a wide variety of different locations.
This dynamic is captivating, and in my mind it simply becomes the norm that my drawing, like a kind of flying ghost, can settle onto any surface and live there, whether it’s a wall, a canvas, a car, or a piece of clothing.
It doesn’t matter at all, the artwork can exist anywhere. This idea gives me confidence in creating my art.
Do you prefer to create on a canvas or on a wall ? And is there any other format or
place you would like to choose to make your art on ?
I love walls and canvases equally. Walls are like a walk in the mountains. You have to climb ladders, go up in lifts, and move along scaffolding, loaded with extension rollers, brushes, and buckets of paint. It takes a lot of sweat before a piece appears on a wall, and the next day your muscles might even ache. But in the end, the scale and size of the work are mesmerizing, and a sense of calm settles inside. Meanwhile, painting on canvas feels like rest, like a conversation with myself. For now, these two formats continue to fascinate me the most. They complement each other.
What inspires you to create art ?
I’m inspired by everyday life and spontaneous interactions with people. I’m also drawn to empty spaces and landscapes, the emptier the space, the more my imagination comes alive. Maybe that’s why I’m such a big fan of deserts.
Who are 3 artists, persons or artistic movements that you admire ?
My top picks for now would be Kazys Varnelis, Philip Guston, and David Hockney.
What would you say is your biggest achievement as an artist ?
A few years ago, when I decided to organize my first solo exhibition, I had the idea to hold it where everything had started, I returned to my hometown of Tauragė. I held a solo show at the city museum. I didn’t expect much from the exhibition, but it became a catapult that launched me from a small Lithuanian town into the international market. I was noticed by a gallery from London, with whom I continue to collaborate successfully to this day.
I’m glad that collectors are now commissioning works that aren’t even finished yet, sometimes just after seeing the sketches. Others patiently wait in line, as the works disappear faster than I can create new ones.
What is “art” for you ?
If I didn’t create art, I’d probably go crazy. I can’t imagine how else I would move through everyday life. For me, art is a way of understanding the world and myself.
Is there any artist, platform or gallery that you would like to collaborate with ?
I dream of collaborating with STRAAT: Amsterdam’s museum for street art and graffiti. I’d love to see my work exhibited there someday. 🙂
What is your biggest dream as an artist ?
If I were to dream, it would be fun to create and leave at least one mural in every country in the world.
Do you have any upcoming projects ?
Right now, two exhibitions are approaching: one in Madrid and one in Barcelona, and I’m preparing for them intensively. One of them will be a permanent show, which makes me very excited.
