The International Conference „Ceramics Tradition and Today” was held at the Panevėžys Civic Art Gallery on May 10-11. This is an event that will extend the XXIII Panevėžys International Ceramics Symposium.

May 10 the Conference began with a scientific part. Lithuanian and Latvian lecturers gave presentations on ceramic art. Art critic Aurelija Seilienė (Lithuania) reviewed the development of Lithuanian ceramics from folk tradition to contemporary art. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Inese Sirica (Latvia) gave a presentation on „Latvian Traditional Ceramics Today: Public Masterclasses, Exhibitions, Artisans and Theater”.

Assoc. Prof.  Līga Skarina (Latvia) spoke about the influence of national traditional ceramics on the creative development of the Faculty of Ceramics of the Latvian Academy of Arts. Assoc. Prof. Rasa Justaitė-Gecevičienė (Lithuania) presented the works of students of the Faculty of Ceramics of the Vilnius Academy of Arts in the last decade, analyzed how they reflect the latest trends and the influence of old traditions.

In the evening of the first day of the Conference, visitors listened to music performed by Jonas Sikorskis (saxophone) and Džiugas Juzėnas (electric guitar) in the courtyard of the gallery. Meanwhile, an important artistic event took place here – the ceramicists Vilija and Osvaldas Balčiūnai burned the ceramic fire sculpture “Elements”. The finale of the creative process that took place throughout the day is the unveiling of a fire sculpture to the audience.

May 11 – on the second day of the Conference, adults and children were invited to touch the clay with their own hands and try out traditional ways of molding ceramics with the education specialists Egle Čibinskienė, Eugenijus Čibinskas and Artūras Stančikas.

In the creative animation workshop for children and youth, artist and animation director Antanas Skučas experimented with combining clay with smart technologies. A trip to the Upytė Traditional Crafts Center was also organized, where a demonstration of Yeast, Raku and Black ceramic firing techniques took place.

This International Conference is one of the main events of the project „Cross-border Loyalty Program for Stimulating Culture and Tourism”. The project is implemented under the European Neighborhood Instrument and is funded by the European Union.

Gediminas Kartanas photo

Vilija and Osvaldas Balčiūnai burned the fire ceramic sculpture “Elements” in the courtyard of the gallery.