Paper cutting

ABOUT PAPER-CUTTINGS Paper cuttings are an original branch of art, many unique works of which have been created by painters, folk and other artists. Two thousand years old origins of the paper cuttings we find in the east. Silhouette paper cuttings found their way from Persia to Europe in the 17th century. Soon they spread in Spain, Denmark, France, German… In Lithuania and Poland the art of paper cutting took a spontaneous way of development- as a branch of applied arts. Paper cuttings were especially popular in the country. Before Christmas, on wedding-party and other occasions people used to decorate their rooms, windows, lamps and frames of holy pictures with cutout starlets, flowers and blinds. Ornamentations of perforated paper cuttings were greatly influenced by specific and compositional traditions of cloth and wood carving patterns. Paper cuttings reflected the unique character of folk art and ethnic culture of certain region. At the second half of the 20th century paper cuttings in Lithuania started disappearing. Occasionally, they were used to decorate coffin brims, napkins in the cupboards and wardrobes. It was in the towns and cities that paper cuttings began to revive. J.Danilaiukiene brought them back from obscurity, made them serve another purpose, and thus gained lots of successors. Now patterns and composition of paper cuttings are being developed, making use of the heritage of folk art and folklore, expressed through symbolical realities. It took three decades to form a new art of paper cuttings, very similar to graphics art and applied to new living conditions. It is pictures and post cards, exlibrises and book illustrations. Both, symmetrical and asymmetrical composition, repeated patterns and images, ornamental and philosophical reflections are characteristic of paper cuttings of Lithuania.

KLAIDAS NAVICKAS (born on 30th of November in 1962 in Raseiniai) Lives in Grigiskes. Has a workshop-gallery in J.Basanaviciaus Street 29 in Vilnius. Lawyer. Member of Lithuanian Folk Art Union (ULFA) since Held personal exhibitions in Grigiskes (1994) and Vilinius (1998). Works were exhibited in zonal, republican exhibitions and international events. Creative works are represented in the album World paper cuttings (1995) and published in the magazines about handcrafts. Took part in creative camp of primitive graphics in Artists tried to carve linden and make prints so cold Samogitian iconics according to the old techniques. Works from the creative camp are exhibited in J.Basanaviciaus Str 29.

ABOUT MYSELF I was always surrounded by folk art- my grandfather was a carpenter and my grandmother was a weaver. I had been carving since I was a child but later living conditions made me to look for not so messy sort of art. Once on the way to work I have found little scissors on the ground. It was the beginning. I have been making paper cuttings already for fifteen years. At the very beginning I cut post cards- flowers, ornaments and little miniatures but it did not satisfied me. I wanted to speak with my works and I wanted they speak with me. It happened so. Songs, tales, proverbs and sayings… If you have ever touched folk wisdom, you can sing, tell stories and quip looking at my paper cuts. At first I was criticised because my works were too far from primitive Lithuanian ornaments and influenced by other countries paper cuts. You cannot mix up my works with any German, Finn or Pole paper cuts. Maybe we have the same mind concentration, limited expression but symmetry, ornaments and plots are very Lithuanian. By the way, today a lot of paper cutters create this way because paper cuttings develop as a separate kind of graphics. Lets cut!

Tales of Hunter, 1998, 43x67 What a fish! 1998, 43x67

Tale of tales, 2003, 37x90 Pukis, his friends and enemies, 1998, 41x74

Jurate and Kastytis, 2002, 40x60Caretaker, 1995, 26x38

Near the road, 2001, 38x65