Eidrigevičius Stasys

Stasys Eidrigevičius (born July 24, 1949 in Mediniškiai, Smilgiai rural municipality, Panevėžys county) – one of the most famous contemporary Lithuanian artists, graphic designer and director.
Biography:
In 1968 he graduated from the S. Žukas Applied Arts Technical School in Kaunas, in 1973 – from the Lithuanian Institute of Arts (a student of J. Švažas). Since 1980 he has lived in Warsaw. Since 1969 he has participated in art exhibitions. He has held more than 100 individual exhibitions in various countries; in Lithuania – in 1993, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2011

Work:

Painted paintings, created graphic works (bookplates, posters, miniatures, book covers). Illustrated about 40 books, mostly for children:

Vytautė Žilinskaitė. Robot and Butterfly, 1978
Z. Batko. Atgalios. Z przemęt, (published in Warsaw), 1985
E. T. A. Hofman. The Pot of Gold and Other Stories, 1985
Charles Perrault. Puss in Boots (C. Perrault. Le Chat botté 1990, Zurich)
A. Ramachander. Little Pig (1992, London)
K. Bauman. The Hungry One (1993, Zurich and New York).

At the Warsaw Theatre “Studio” he staged the play “White Moose” (1993). He creates performances, artistic actions, installations (“Road” 1992, “Well” 1993, “Wheels” 1995, “Erotics” 1997, “Rain” 2000).
On September 2, 1991, the Czechoslovak Post Office, in connection with the Bratislava Biennial of Children’s Illustrations, issued a postage stamp with a reproduction of Stasys Eidrigevičius’ painting “Pinocchio”.

He created unique art genres – masks and so-called sorrows (smutki). The main motifs of his work are human loneliness, alienation, sadness, contemplation. Elements of the grotesque, paradox, absurdity are characteristic of his artistic expression, and realistic motifs are given a metaphysical aspect. Vivid memories of his homeland, childhood impressions, ethnographic realities of the Lithuanian countryside. He has won about 40 international awards. In 2008, St. Eidrigevičius was immortalized in the Polish Alley of Stars near the Gdańsk Philharmonic: he was asked to leave a metal handprint there. In the Japanese city of Otaru, there is a museum named after him, the Hiroko Mori & Stasys Museum. Jacques Debs made a feature film about the artist.

Awards:
1973, 1975, 1979. Medals of Honor at the International Bookplate Biennial in Malbork (Poland)
1986. Grand Prix at the International Children’s Book Exhibition in Barcelona
1989. Grand Prix at the International Poster Biennial in Lahti (Finland)
1994. Gold medal at the International Poster Exhibition in Toyama (Japan)
1999 Gold medal at the Polish Poster Biennale in Katowice
2000 Order of Gediminas, 4th degree
2001 Lithuanian National Prize