JŪRATĖ MYKOLAITYTĖ

Jūratė Mykolaitytė was born in 1954, January 16, Vilnius. In 1961-1972 she studied at Vilnius S. Nėries secondary school and in 1972-1978 studied painting at Vilnius Art Institute (now Vilnius Academy of Arts) under J. Švaža, V. Gečas. She is a member of the Union of Lithuanian Artists since 1988.

Realist, mystic, Vilnius artist – these are the labels that are constantly attached to Jūrate Mykolaitytė. Yes, a realist, if we understand it as a search for new connections with reality. Yes, a mystic, but more so because the workshop she had at the time was dark. And yes, Vilnius artist, if we call one part of the city by this name – Užupis, which it is preferred to be written with a lowercase letter, because it is more of a state of mind or a way of life.

There is a lot of City in her work. It is molded from the details and grows right before your eyes. Every detail is important: how the doors, railings, windows, stairs look… No one can predict what detail and when it might become significant. Although everyone likes to do it. But if predictions were destined to come true, or if everyone guessed the same way, life would become eerily dull. “When I feel that some part of the painting already says what I wanted, I understand that the work is finished. After all, if every detail would be equally eloquent, the work would become meaningless, incomprehensible like the “Tower of Babel”. Because of that, I can’t imagine myself creating abstractions. It’s beautiful for me to look at, I admire when others do it. But how do you know when a piece is finished?” The theme of the city is inseparable from time. Like a human face, the cityscape changes imperceptibly, succumbing to time, which mercilessly erases the previous lines and draws new features. The only thing that is unmovable, cannot be reshaped by time is the soul. To survive, you need to change. After all, for those who are not interested in history, an antique sculpture will be just a sculpture. However, when you walk past the “Užupis angel” sculpture every day, you see how it changes and ages. Buildings too. The less the object moves, the more pronounced the changes. And survival is stronger. And this is very visible in the city on the water.

There is a lot of literature in Jurate’s works. Plots, thoughts or impressions caused by them. As a child, being able read through the rich home library accumulated by journalist parents, you still have the best rest with a book in hand. What kind? Old sympathies for Russian humanists led to an interest in modern Russian literature as well. “Only one book I didn’t like – “Bees”. It was a scientific publication about insects. The strict father, who had a peculiar understanding of raising children, made me read this book and retell it every day. It was eerily uninteresting, although now I might read it with pleasure,” Jūrate remembers. She still doesn’t like routine, but the instilled sense of duty and diligence often saves her from unnecessary distractions. Jūratė goes to the workshop like she goes to work. At least to drink coffee and think. And then the drawing starts to appear. – Ugnė Dalinkevičiūtė (Excerpt)