Color scale of earths gathered in Lithuania. Image scale courtesy of Simona Rukuižaitė.
SIMONA RUKUIZAITE
Simona Rukuižaitė is a visual artist based in Vilnius, Lithuania.
She consistently explores traditional methods for gathering earth pigments and embedding them into the context of contemporary art. Her work is inspired by a connection to a certain location's landscape, particularly the geological features that define the pigment's color properties.
Traditional pigment extraction methods are commonly found in the context of classical art or restoration as materials that were widely used prior to the advent of synthetic pigments and dyes. The shift to intellectual cultural heritage and the conceptualization of tradition inspired the search for new forms of expression, which included earth pigments as objects of artistic research.
Currently pursuing a PhD degree in Visual Arts - researching earth pigments and their materiality. It includes intersection of tradition and the contemporary, the outline of knowledge and experiment as well as temporal aesthetics.
Simona holds BA and MA degrees in Monumental Arts (fresco and mosaic) in Vilnius Academy of Fine Arts, Lithuania.
Gatherings from Malta. Image courtesy of Simona Rukuižaitė.
Earth pigments gathered in Malta — detail of a painting. Image courtesy of Simona Rukuižaitė.