The exhibition is dedicated to the 90th anniversary of architect and designer Tadas Baginskas. In search of meaningful connections within Baginskas’ creative biography, the term “musical counterpoint” (Latin punctus contra punctum – point against point) was chosen, which refers to combinations of independent melodies sounding together. This choice was inspired by Baginskas’ record collection, pieces of his audio equipment, the musical connections in his implemented design projects, and the rhythms of jazz and dance that have accompanied him throughout his life. The architect brothers Algimantas and Vytautas Nasvyčiai had named the group of young architects from Kaunas, including Baginskas, the “Modern Jazz Quartet”. This counterpoint approach also made it possible to include other creators into the exhibition narratives, since collaboration has always been a key feature of Baginskas’ creative practice. The designer implemented quite a few projects in collaboration with his wife, glass artist and stained-glass artist Ginta Baginskienė. We have devoted a lot of attention to her work and the projects they undertook together.
Baginskas’ six-decade-long creative work includes furniture and lighting objects, interior design projects, exhibition design solutions, and examples of graphic design and architectural drawings. In his creative biography there are examples of mass-produced items and decorative objects classified as art design. Baginskas created using a wide variety of materials: from wood, metal, glass, and amber to rare gemstones. However, the focus of his work was not individual objects, but rather an approach to design as a systematic process connecting creators, people, and environments. The designer and architect’s biography combines Kaunas and Vilnius as well as the first experiences of the Republic of Lithuania, later the postwar period, the Soviet occupation, and the era of independence. As a professor of design, Baginskas brings together different generations of designers.
In our research, we searched for authentic artifacts. In most cases, they are lost or inaccessible. We wanted to showcase even the surviving fragments of those objects or segments, so we turned to interpretations by contemporary creators. The metaphorical meaning of counterpoint became particularly important, as it allowed us to speak about the duality of existence, the anonymity of design objects, and the interactions and contradictions between different perspectives. We know Tadas Baginskas as an insightful design thinker. His own quotes became an important guide to the exhibition’s narrative.
Artists and designers presented in the exhibition:
Tadas Baginskas, Ginta Baginskienė, Vytautas Brėdikis, Eugenijus Antanas Cukermanas, Vytautas Gečas, Juozas Gelguda, Vaidilutė Grušeckaitė, Antanas Kazakauskas, Mantas Lesauskas, Dainius Liškevičius, Vytautas Puzeras, Vladas Suncovas, Algimantas Stoškus, Šarūnas Šlektavičius, Lijana Turskytė-Ortiz, Teodoras Kazimieras Valaitis, Kazimiera Zimblytė
Chief curator: dr. Karolina Jakaitė
Curators: Julijus Balčikonis, Živilė Intaitė, Karolina Jakaitė
Consultants and researchers: dr. Rasa Dargužaitė, dr. Aistė Dičkalnytė, Gražina Gurnevičiūtė, dr. Rasa Janulevičiūtė
Architect Vytautas Gečas
Graphic designer Aurelija Slapšytė
Coordinator Mažvydas Truklickas
Restorers: Arūnas Baublys, Ramūnas Gilys, Lukas Rakauskas, Donatas Stasiulis, Darius Varnas
Author of sound installation Šarūnas Nakas
Lithuanian text editor dr. Ilona Čiužauskaitė
Translator Laima Bezginaitė
Financed by: Lithuanian Council of Culture
Partners: Vilniaus dailės akademija, Lietuvos dizaino asociacija, leidykla LAPAS
Exhibits were loaned by: Tadas Baginskas, Vytauto Brėdikio šeima, Dainius Liškevičius, Dizaino fondas, Klaipėdos miesto savivaldybė, Lietuvos dailininkų sąjunga, Lietuvos nacionalinis dailės muziejus, Lietuvos centrinis valstybės archyvas, Lietuvos švietimo muziejus, Nacionalinė M. K. Čiurlionio menų mokykla, Nacionalinis M. K. Čiurlionio dailės muziejus, Vilniaus dailės akademijos muziejus, Vilniaus regioninis valstybės archyvas
Photos by Gintarė Grigėnaitė (LNDM)
