At Gallery “Laiptai” – Andrius Lamauskas’ Unique Vision of the City

On May 14, 2026, the Šiauliai Cultural Center Gallery Laiptai opened the doors to photographer Andrius Lamauskas’s personal exhibition “Urbo grafija” (“Urban Graphics”), which became part of the newly launched exhibition and event cycle “Šiauliai Photography Week 2026”. During the evening, a large number of visitors embarked on a visual journey through the streets of different European cities, where light, shadow, people, and fragile fragments of everyday life intertwine. The artist himself, together with art theorist, critic, and photographer Virginijus Kinčinaitis, who presented the exhibition, shared thoughts on street photography, urban atmosphere, and the stories born within photography.

Organizer – Šiauliai Cultural Center.

Šiauliai has long been known for its deep photography traditions. This year, while celebrating the city’s 790th anniversary, this identity has become even more visible – photography-focused events taking place across various city spaces are bringing together artists, cultural institutions, and audiences for a shared exploration of photographic art. Exhibitions, presentations, and meetings not only reveal the diversity of photographic expression, but also allow viewers to experience cities through different artistic perspectives – from Šiauliai to various European metropolises.

One such artist is the well-known Šiauliai photographer Andrius Lamauskas. In Gallery “Laiptai”, the author invited visitors to see the city not as a specific location on a map, but as an ever-changing space of human emotions and experiences. The exhibition “Urbo grafija” presents fragments of various European cities – passers-by, streets, architectural details, and the interplay of light and shadow. However, the artist deliberately avoids precise references to time or place, making the atmosphere created by the city itself more important than geographical accuracy.

The author’s work reveals a strong attraction to urban dynamics and constant transformation. Rather than postcard-like imagery, his photographs search for unexpected angles, plays of light and shadow, emotional states, and unnoticed details of everyday life. The photographer himself emphasized that he is more inspired by the vitality of the contemporary city than by traditional depictions of historical landmarks.

Presenting the exhibition, Virginijus Kinčinaitis highlighted the artist’s ability to notice people within the urban environment. Even in dynamic compositions, the most important element in Lamauskas’ work becomes the state, gaze, or momentarily frozen movement of a passer-by. His photography values not only compositional precision or rhythmic textures, but also the ability to wait for a moment in which an inner mood and a person’s relationship with their surroundings are revealed.

Throughout the evening, the gallery space was filled with conversations about photography, urban culture, and the ability to notice what often remains unseen in everyday life. “Urbo grafija” became not only a story about the city, but also an invitation to pause, observe, and rediscover the constantly pulsating life surrounding us.

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

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.

Photos by Gintarė Daknytė.