For the first time ever, Lietuvos bankas is sharing its most prized art collection with the public. The exhibition, “Unveiled: The Art Collection of Lietuvos bankas,” is being held at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania and will run until May 18th.
“We want to showcase a less familiar aspect of Lietuvos bankas’s work: its support for culture and art. The bank’s art collection is relatively unknown, let alone seen,” says Gediminas Šimkus, Chair of the Board of Lietuvos bankas.
Šimkus notes that the collection’s history spans nearly a century, following a tradition common to many European central banks. Artworks are acquired to enhance the bank’s meeting rooms, offices, and other spaces, creating an aesthetically pleasing environment.
“We can’t transform the Lietuvos bankas building into a permanent gallery, so I encourage everyone to visit this exceptional exhibition, where culture and the bank’s history intertwine,” Šimkus adds.
The exhibition features masterpieces by prominent interwar and contemporary Lithuanian artists, including Petras Rimša, Antanas Žmuidzinavičius, Justinas Vienožinskis, Augustinas Savickas, Jonas Švažas, Adomas Galdikas, Juozas Mikėnas, Dalia Kasčiūnaitė, and others. Some pieces date back to the construction of the Lietuvos bankas building in Kaunas in the 1920s. Leading Lithuanian artists of the time contributed to the building’s decoration, with their works being acquired from juried and solo exhibitions.
Following the restoration of Lithuania’s independence, Lietuvos bankas added approximately 100 paintings, graphic prints, sculptures, textiles, ceramics, and assemblages to its collection.
Today, the Lietuvos bankas art collection comprises nearly 200 works, making it the largest among the Baltic central banks. The collection’s finest pieces are regularly featured in exhibitions, including international exhibitions organized by the European Central Bank.
