The main wall of Paupio turgus was decorated with a painting by Jurgis Tarabilda: Art Must Raise Questions
The opening of Paupio turgus is anticipated to take place soon. As the finishing touches are put up, a new space for food, restaurants, and meetings is getting ready for the first visitors. A few days ago, Lithuanian artist Jurgis Tarabilda completed a huge mural on the main wall of the new market.
“The painting has made the space livelier and more attractive. We hope visitors will appreciate it,” Tarabilda said of the project initiated by Darnu Group.
More attention to art projects
The new art project is not the first time Tarabilda has collaborated with the real estate developer Darnu Group. A few years ago, he painted the main wall of the Artagonist Hotel in the Old Town of Vilnius.
“I am very pleased with this cooperation – it’s so nice to see the business sector taking the initiative with artistic projects. Although opportunities for artists to contribute creatively to public buildings of interest do exist, those opportunities are few and far between in Lithuania. Creative spirit and exciting environment is precisely what makes public spaces into centers of gravity,” Tarabilda noted.
Akvilė Liaudanskienė, Director of Corporate Affairs and Marketing at the Darnu Group, agrees with the artist. The crucial idea of the painting at Paupys Market was to make the space more cosy and interesting. The soon-to-be-open market is expected to become one of the top locations for visiting restaurants, shopping, and meeting friends in Vilnius. “We pay special attention to spaces for art, and various art projects have always been an important complementary and decorative element of our projects. They create great added value for both the city and individual projects,” Liaudanskienė explained.
Hands – a community reflection
The ideas for how to decorate the main wall of Paupio turgus were numerous and diverse in nature – from completely abstract, using colour blurs and lines, to very specific, realist paintings.
“The mural is visible on every floor – I painted a hand on each floor, but what these hands point to is up for the visitors to interpret. I wanted to show that the market is primarily a community space,” the artist commented.
The artist was helped by his wife, Gabija Tarabilda, a co-ordinator of the art project. This is not the first time the artistic couple has worked together, and parts of the mural have as much input from Gabija as from Jurgis.
“With a paiting this large, you need four eyes: close up I wouldn’t be able to see the overall picture, so I used a telephone to communicate with my wife, who would tell me which side I should turn to and in which direction to paint,” Tarabilda commented.
Leaving room for discussion
It’s always a challenge to control large-scale pieces, they require attention, clear spatial perception, and experience. While the creative process is interesting, the artist admits he only takes on projects like this if they personally appeal to him.
“My work is often abstract, devoid of a specific pictorial idea. I prefer visual solutions and hope the audience members interpret the painting and understand it in their own way,” Tarabilda said.
The opening of Paupio turgus is scheduled for spring.
