Marija Teresė Rožanskaitė from Linkuva

Akee, in collaboration with the MTR Art Foundation, carried out a project this summer and autumn dedicated to promoting the work of Lithuanian painter Marija Teresė Rožanskaitė (1933–2007), who was born in the Linkuva area near Akee.

Marija Teresė Rožanskaitė (1933–2007) is recognized as one of the most significant Lithuanian artists of the second half of the 20th century, whose life and work are closely intertwined with the key historical shifts of the era. Born in Linkuva (Pakruojis district) and raised in Kriukai (Joniškis district) until her deportation in 1941, Rožanskaitė later became one of the most compelling artists of both the Soviet period and independent Lithuania. Although her explorations of themes such as state repression, human vulnerability, and existential tension were not fully acknowledged during the Soviet era, her work has left a lasting mark on Lithuanian art history and continues to inspire new generations of artists. In 2024, Rožanskaitė’s works, together with the internationally acclaimed duo Pakui Hardware (Neringa Černiauskaitė and Ugnius Gelguda), were presented in the exhibition Ignition in the Lithuanian Pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale.

As part of this project, from 29 June to 1 July, Akee hosted an exhibition of Marija Teresė Rožanskaitė’s works. Curator, artist and art historian Laima Kreivytė delivered a performative lecture on Rožanskaitė’s life and artistic legacy during Akee’s event Sliding July. The event also featured a screening of the film Artist Teresė Marija Rožanskaitė (1998) from the documentary series Portraits of Artists by directors Juozas Matonis and Vytautas Damaševičius (1944–2021). The film was later shown again in early November in Kriukai (Joniškis district), where Rožanskaitė and her family lived until their 1941 deportation to Altai.

Throughout the project, reproductions of Rožanskaitė’s works were donated to education, culture, and healthcare institutions in the Pakruojis and Joniškis regions. These will be presented to their communities by Linkuva Gymnasium, Lygumai Primary School, Pakruojis “Atžalynas” Gymnasium, Pakruojis Cultural Centre, Lygumai Eldership, Pakruojis District Juozas Paukštelis Public Library, the Family Medicine Clinic (Medicus LT), and Pakruojis Health Centre.

The project Linkuva-born Marija Teresė Rožanskaitė: Commemorating the Artist and Presenting Her Work in the Šiauliai Region is funded by the Lithuanian Council for Culture and the Pakruojis District Municipality.

Project partners: Kriukai Branch of the Joniškis Cultural Centre and the MTR Art Foundation.

Photo: Portrait of Marija Teresė Rožanskaitė (courtesy of the MTR Art Foundation).

Project partners: Kriukai Branch of the Joniškis Cultural Centre and the MTR Art Foundation.

Photo: Portrait of Marija Teresė Rožanskaitė (courtesy of the MTR Art Foundation).