Rimtautas Vincetas Gibavičius (1935–1993): The Count of Countless Talents

The exhibition, organised in collaboration with Vilnius Academy of Arts (VAA), presents several artistic domains where the artist was most active: graphic arts, stage design, and sgraffito. His creative practice was diverse—ranging from graphic prints to wall paintings, from stage sets to book design. Visitors will have the opportunity to see works reflecting all these fields.

Gibavičius’s explorations became part of the modern Lithuanian visual lexicon. His pieces subtly referenced then-prohibited art trends: Op Art, Pop Art, Abstract Art, and Minimalism. Vilnius—probably his best-known series of city views from unexpected angles—reads like a visual diary. The artist branded himself as a master of precise line and a creator of a clean, yet meaningful, world of signs.

His best-known murals are the sgraffito works The Nine Muses (1969) and Historical Portraits (1980–1990), still visible at the Faculty of Philology, Vilnius University. Over time, these monumental pieces have become integral to the university’s image. For three decades, Gibavičius taught at the then State Art Institute (now VAA), shaping several generations of graphic artists. He was an intellectual and aesthete—sociable and demanding of both himself and his students.

This exhibition also honours art historian Ieva Pleikienė (1971–2024), a long-time researcher of Gibavičius’s work. She had planned an anniversary show and was writing a monograph, but her plans were interrupted by illness. Dr Jolita Liškevičienė, Senior Fellow at VAA’s Art Research Institute, took over these projects, including curating this exhibition. Alongside Gibavičius’s artwork, the exhibition features Pleikienė’s texts that help contextualise his legacy.