Gallery “Laiptai” Hosts a Meeting of Three Jacovskis Artists and the Chamber Music Concert “Vocalise”

On 9 September 2026, the Šiauliai Cultural Centre Gallery “Laiptai” hosted an event from the series “The Cultural Landscape of the Litvaks”, presenting the work of three artists from one family – Aleksandra, Adomas and Marijus Jacovskis. Photography, drawing and painting came together in the exhibition through representations of the human figure – the face, body, surroundings, memories and inner states. The exhibition opening was followed by the chamber music concert “Vocalise”, turning the evening at the gallery into a meeting of different art forms.
Organised by the Šiauliai Cultural Centre. Partner – Joseph Achron Music Festival. Funded by Šiauliai City Municipality and the Lithuanian Council for Culture.

On Wednesday evening at Gallery “Laiptai”, visitors were introduced to the work of one family – Aleksandra, Adomas and Marijus Jacovskis. Although each artist chose different means of expression, the human figure, face, surroundings and what lies beyond the visible image play an important role in their work.

“These people represent an entire period of Lithuanian art. Their works are extraordinarily theatrical. The inner world of a person is great art, great creativity and great theatre. Each of them also resembles the others in some way. They all speak about the human being, yet at the same time they do so in very different ways,” said art historian Dr Dalia Karatajienė.

Aleksandra Jacovskytė presented photographs and drawings in the exhibition. Her work reflects her long-standing relationship with Vilnius and its people – in her photographs, not only the person but also the surrounding urban environment, architecture and details of everyday life are important. The drawings displayed alongside the photographs reveal a freer and more personal perspective of the artist.

“Aleksandra’s works are the dramaturgy of a moment – she captures the kind of moment that often passes others by. She is an exceptionally observant person. Not a single detail escapes her eye. She speaks through small details, but she does so precisely. She practically does not even need colour, which is why her drawings are mostly monochrome. Her photographs, too, capture a person through those small details, revealing their character,” said art historian Dr Dalia Karatajienė.

At the centre of Adomas Jacovskis’ paintings are the human face and figure. The artist often focuses on a single figure or a detail of it, using it to convey mood and emotional state. The Šiauliai stage also holds an important place in his creative history – in 1977, A. Jacovskis created his first stage design at the Šiauliai Drama Theatre for August Strindberg’s play “Miss Julie”, directed by Gintaras Padegimas.

In Marijus Jacovskis’ paintings, the human face becomes a starting point for exploring self-discovery and emotional experience. Works created between 2024 and 2026 reveal his relationship with the human being and their surroundings. Stage design also plays an important role in the artist’s creative work – his works have also been seen on stages in Šiauliai.

For each of the three artists, the exhibition at Gallery “Laiptai” marked another return to this space: A. Jacovskytė’s work has now been presented here for the fifth time, A. Jacovskis’ for the third time, and M. Jacovskis’ for the second time.

Following the exhibition opening, the chamber music programme “Vocalise” was performed at the gallery by Lithuanian National Prize for Culture and Arts laureate, soprano Asta Krikščiūnaitė, pianist Milda Umbrusevičiūtė and one of Lithuania’s most prominent cellists, Gleb Pyšniak. The programme featured works by André Previn, Joseph Achron, Nadia Boulanger, Jules Massenet and Kurt Weill.

The programme of “Vocalise” was also connected to the human inner world. Here, the voice is understood as more than simply a means of singing – the music conveys memory, longing, loss, tenderness, loneliness and that which sometimes remains unspoken. Moving from wordless vocalise to theatrical song, the programme revealed different human emotional states and continued the theme of the evening’s exhibition through the language of music.

The exhibition of works by the three Jacovskis artists and the concert “Vocalise” formed part of “The Cultural Landscape of the Litvaks”, a series of events exploring Lithuanian Jewish culture, its creators and heritage through different art forms. The full programme is available on the websites of the Šiauliai Cultural Centre and Šiauliai City Municipality.

Photo by Darius Ančerevičius.

For further information, please contact Kristina Alseikė, Event Organiser at the Exhibitions Department of the Šiauliai Cultural Centre, tel. +370 658 80 507, email kristina.alseike@siauliukc.lt.