February 25, 2026 (Wednesday) at 5:30 PM you are invited to the presentation of Jonas Nekrašius’ book “Penzeliukas – Gerardas Bagdonavičius”, followed by a discussion and a screening of the documentary film “Remembering the Artist Gerardas Bagdonavičius.”
The event is dedicated to commemorating the 126th anniversary of the birth and the 40th anniversary of the death of artist and teacher Gerardas Bagdonavičius, and symbolically marks the jubilee year of the city of Šiauliai.
Participants:
-
Jonas Nekrašius – member of the Lithuanian Journalists’ Union, cultural scholar, author;
-
Virginija Šiukščienė – Deputy Director for Museum Affairs at the Šiauliai “Aušra” Museum;
-
Antanas Petrauskas – protégé of Gerardas Bagdonavičius, who knew the artist closely for more than twenty years;
-
Antanas Visockis – artist, student of G. Bagdonavičius;
-
Rimantas Buivydas – artist;
-
Juozas Bindokas – actor at the State Šiauliai Drama Theatre.
“The year 2026 is connected with significant dates in the life of Gerardas Bagdonavičius, a Šiauliai-born painter, graphic artist, teacher, local historian, scenographer, and one of the pioneers of ex libris art in Lithuania (born July 25, 1901, in Radviliškis; died February 3, 1986, in Šiauliai). On February 3, 2026, it will be 40 years since his death, and on July 25 of the same year – 125 years since his birth. These anniversaries are an important opportunity to revisit the artist’s life and work, to delve into the essence and evolution of his творчество. Gerardas Bagdonavičius was a renowned teacher and a versatile artist whose works are inseparable from Lithuania and from Šiauliai. He became a symbol of the city, one of its most beloved figures. Numerous stories have been created about this creator, often called – and still called – by the affectionate nickname Penzeliukas (or Pendzeliukas). At all times he remained in the spotlight, a city aristocrat, a legend.”
“Šiauliai cannot be imagined without the artist and teacher Gerardas Bagdonavičius, his activities and the abundance of his works. ‘There are people so closely intertwined with the place they live that they become its sign, its symbol. Such was Gerardas Bagdonavičius, known to almost all residents of Šiauliai at the time, recognized everywhere,’ wrote art historian Vytenis Rimkus (1930–2020). ‘He was the most Šiauliai-like of artists: this was the city of his childhood, youth, and maturity, a place he knew down to the smallest detail – a city twice burned down, reborn, and still expanding. Šiauliai left its mark not only on his art but also on his way of life.’”
(Jonas Nekrašius)
Organizer – Šiauliai Art Gallery.
