The Latest Exhibition “Singular of Two” by Audronė Petrašiūnaitė Presented at the “Laiptai” Gallery

On April 17, 2026, the Šiauliai Cultural Center Gallery Laiptai opened the doors to the personal exhibition “Singular of Two” by painter Audronė Petrašiūnaitė, revealing the sensitive and ever-changing inner world of the artist. Visitors attending the opening had the opportunity to become acquainted with the author’s latest works, while art critic Kotryna Žukauskaitė-Šiaučiulė reviewed the artist’s creative directions and highlighted the key aspects of the exhibition.

Organizer – Šiauliai Cultural Center.

Audronė Petrašiūnaitė is one of the most prominent Lithuanian painters of the middle generation. In 1982, she graduated from the Lithuanian Art Institute (under Professor V. Karatajus) and later taught at various art and higher education institutions. Her artistic work has been recognized with the Lithuanian Government Prize for Culture and Arts, and her works are preserved in the country’s most important museums.

According to the artist herself, painting is a way of feeling, breathing, and experiencing the world. Her works intertwine recognizable motifs with images emerging from the subconscious. Emotion becomes the central element of her compositions, created through contrasting colors, deformed forms, and layered brushstrokes. Thick paint surfaces alternate with transparent ones, flat planes with textures, and deep spaces with generalized silhouettes. This distinctive style is clearly reflected in the exhibition “Singular of Two”.

The paintings often depict the human figure or face, though represented in unusual ways – divided, overlapping, or merging with the environment. In some works, unexpected and slightly surreal details emerge. The imagery appears to be constantly changing, inviting viewers not only to observe, but also to feel and search for their own meanings.

“When I was young, there was still romance, naivety, and illusions – everything seemed covered in a veil: plants and flowers were blooming. Now the motifs remain, but the veil is gone. They merge into one image – it may even become the singular of three or four,” says Audronė Petrašiūnaitė.

“This exhibition is somewhat different – the most important thing here is the state of being. It invites visitors to stay for a while, to let emotion in, recognize it, and pass it through the thread of nostalgia while searching within themselves for what Audronė Petrašiūnaitė conveys in her works,” says Kotryna Žukauskaitė-Šiaučiulė.

Text also occupies an important place in the artist’s work – literary impulses take on visual form and transform into metaphorical characters. The titles of the artworks connect with one another, creating a unique narrative resembling a fragmented poem or a map of the inner world.

The exhibition presents works created in 2024–2025. In total, 26 large-format paintings rich in color are displayed across both floors of the gallery. This arrangement allows visitors to perceive the exhibition as a unified narrative, where moods, colors, and imagery shift while moving through the spaces.

The exhibition will run until May 9. Admission is paid. Ticket price – €2. Information about discounts is available at the “Laiptai” gallery. Opening hours of the Šiauliai Cultural Center Gallery Laiptai: Tuesday–Friday – 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Saturday – 11 a.m.–5 p.m.

Photo by Rolandas Parafinavičius.

Information provided by Kristina Alseikė, event organizer of the Exhibition Department at the Šiauliai Cultural Center, tel. +370 658 80 507, email: kristina.alseike@siauliukc.lt.