The monumental painting invites you to step into the mysterious world of Žemaitė’s works, full of life and bird songs, and as the seasons change, so will the way passersby see it.
Read more The cost of Klaipėda’s southern bypass – a quarter of the city budget
“The work is a reflection of the moods, images, and nature of Žemaitė’s texts, which are full of mystery, life, and bird songs. During the pandemic, I had to prepare a conceptual project for firewalls, where the forest was conceived as an extension of the square – not competing with the environment, but complementing and enriching it. My goal was to create a forest that would be alive and interesting in all seasons and live together with the square,” says the author of “Bukantės miškas,” artist Liuda Jaruševičiūtė Stankevičienė.
The visual and execution method of the work is unique – the piece, covering an area equivalent to one and a half basketball courts, is painted with small brushes using a mixed painting and graphic technique. Part of the wall is hidden under the tree canopy, which the artist turned into part of the composition. Real trees form the foreground here, and the painted trees on the wall become like an extension of the park.
“Bukantės miškas” is not a static painting. In summer, part of it is hidden by green trees, in autumn more painted details are revealed, and in winter, the drawing on the wall is complemented by real tree branches and their shadows. It was important to the author that the painting live together with the square, the trees, and the seasons.
The implementation of the work began in September 2025. During the cold season, the artist’s work was often interrupted by unsuitable weather conditions and rain.
Read more Witkoff’s visit to Kyiv hung by a thread: what scared him
The work respectfully integrates a 2016 portrait of Frida Kahlo created by scenographer Paulė Bocullaitė, also painted with a brush and incorporating artificial flowers into the portrait. The dialogue between these two prominent female artists adds new nuances to the discussion about authentic depictions of women’s lives, the struggle against social norms in art, and fills the misty forest with bright Mexican colors and sounds.
The painting has become part of the renovated Žemaitė square. Next to the work, an informational stand dedicated to Žemaitė will also be installed to help better understand the writer and her life. The text for the stand was prepared in consultation with Dr. Žydronė Kolevinskienė, a researcher at the Institute of the Lithuanian Language and Literature.
The work can be seen on the wall of the building at Gedimino pr. 29 and 29A.
Vilnius residents are invited to the opening of “Bukantės miškas” at the end of September in Žemaitė square; the date will be confirmed. Visitors will be able not only to see the entire work for the first time but also to learn more about its creation story and the author.
Read more Ringing false alarms: There is no mass evacuation of residents in Kyiv
