Welcome to Europos Parkas, take a breath, feel the "here and now" moment

Myrna Orsini and Vladas Kančiauskas „The Gates“ Photo by Paulius Rakštikas

Slow art day in Europos Parkas

On Saturday, April 10th, 2021, we invite you to visit the Europos Parkas museum and to experience the art pieces created by world-know artists s l o w l y.

Each one of us can have unique and memorable art experience. Europos Parkas, Open-Air Museum of the Centre of Europe, joins the international initiative “slow art day” when people all over the world visit museums and galleries to look at the art pieces s l o w l y.

All those who come to the museum are invited to observe 5 sculptures for 10 minutes each, with the goal to focus on the artwork and on the "seeing" itself.

More information

Jerzy Jotka Kędziora exhibition

Balance in the Treetops

at Europos Parkas

Balance in the Treetops at Europos Parkas

This summer Lithuanian museum Europos Parkas, which features sculpture art created by the most famous world artists, welcomes an exhibition by the Polish sculptor Jerzy Kędziora a.k.a Jotka. The open-air museum space will exhibit a new trend in the world of contemporary art, namely the artwork that finds its location between the earth and sky.

Jerzy Jotka Kędziora creates balancing sculptures, which seem to defy the force of gravity and laws of statics, conveying the timeless message from the author to people of all cultures. According to the author, his sculptures illustrate unrealistic desires, like a dream of walking on a tightrope, offering a possibility to envision oneself in a completely different reality. The story behind each Kędziora’s artwork would be no shorter than an actual person’s biography - his artwork offers that much of content. The figures hanging above the heads of spectators seem to act in a similar manner as the bystanders: they observe, watch others go, imitate, and sometimes make fun.

Emerging as an actual spectacle between the earth and sky, this time Jerzy Kędziora’s exhibition takes place in the combined landscape of Lithuanian nature and worldwide art. The expressive, dynamic, often ambiguous, and surprising sculptures will prompt visitors to balance on the verge of their imagination and new discoveries.

Jerzy Kędziora a.k.a Jotka says: “For years, I have been unsuccessfully trying to meet the challenge, which for the old political order, posed to me from behind our eastern border: Lithuanians, Georgians, Latvians, and even Kazakhs, whom I met at international plein-airs in Poland. They signaled a desire to show my works on their territory in their cultural areas. I was very pleased receiving the invitation from Gintaras Karosas - an outstanding artist, creator, animator and organizer of the Europos Parkas - very significant for contemporary sculpture not only for our part of Europe. The familiarization visit in January confirmed my belief that this is a great place for presenting balancing sculptures. Showing my sculptures in the context of the artworks of many celebrities of modern art gathered by Gintaras Karosas is a pleasure and raises the rank of the event.”

The exhibition is open at Europos Parkas from July to November.

The oppening of the exhibition on Thursday, July 16th, at 4 PM at Europos Parkas.

More information

 Makoto Ito. Snail. Photo by L.Bielinis.

Slow art day in Europos Parkas

On Saturday, April 4th, 2020,  we invite you to visit the Europos Parkas museum and to experience the art pieces created by world-know artists s l o w l y.

Each one of us can have unique and memorable art experience. Europos Parkas joins the international initiative “slow art day” when people all over the world visit museums and galleries to look at the art pieces s l o w l y.

 It is an incentive to stop, to take a breath, to feel the "here and now" moment, to the joy of exploring art, nature, landscape, moments of mindfulness.

More information

On the Lithuanian Statehood Day (the day of the crowning of Lithuania’s King Mindaugas), President Dalia Grybauskaitė awarded the Cross of the Knight of the Order for Merits to Lithuania to Gintaras Karosas

Gintaras Karosas receives national award

On 6 July 2018, the Lithuanian Statehood Day (the day of the crowning of Lithuania’s King Mindaugas), President Dalia Grybauskaitė awarded the Cross of the Knight of the Order for Merits to Lithuania to Gintaras Karosas for promoting Lithuania’s name around the globe.

Gintaras Karosas is a sculptor, a public, cultural, and political figure, founder of the Europos Parkas (Park of Europe) and Liubavas manor museums, creator of numerous pieces of art and the artistic landscape of the Park of Europe, and author of a number of books and articles, researcher of cultural heritage, and laureate of a National Award of Advancement.

I am happy with the honorary award, I try to serve Lithuania every day in my work, by carrying on my family tradition,’ says Karosas. ‘It is a fond memory that my grandfather, Vladimiras Karosas, too, received the Order of Duke Gediminas for merits to Lithuania from President Antanas Smetona on 16 February 1931.’

More information

The moments from the first public showing of Algirdas Tarvydas documentary film EUROPOS PARKAS. THE BEGINNING, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Restoration of the State of Lithuania

The moments from the first public showing of Algirdas Tarvydas documentary film EUROPOS PARKAS. THE BEGINNING, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Restoration of the State of Lithuania

The black and white film captures unique shots that reveal the beginning and creation of Europos Parkas. Film director A. Tarvydas shows a parallel between creation of Europos Parkas and revival of Lithuania: Act of Independence, the defense of the Parliament building in Vilnius as well as the storm of Vilnius TV Tower, the funeral of January 13th victims and other moments of our nation’s determination. A.Tarvydas’ documentary „EUROPOS PARKAS. THE BEGINNING“ covers more than a quarter-century of storyline and becomes a historic memory, showing a symbiosis between Lithuanian Act of Independence and Europos Parkas. This documentary is dedicated to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the restoration of Lithuania in 2018.

The participants of the film showing enjoyed the comparison of Europos Parkas and Lithuanian history in the documentary, emphasizing that the parallel is not coincidental, in fact – when creating Europos Parkas, its creator Gintaras Karosas was creating Lithuania. However, according to the speakers, Lithuania's independence is incomplete just as the idea of the park has no end, therefore, it is important to continue to work in further creating Lithuania and its independence and is possible that film will have continuation.

The moments from the first public showing of Algirdas Tarvydas documentary film in the photographs

On Decemeber 30, 2017, at the Education Centre of Europos Parkas the first public showing of documentary „EUROPOS PARKAS. THE BEGINNING“ directed by the famous documentarian Algirdas Tarvydas, took place.

The first public showing of documentary EUROPOS PARKAS. THE BEGINNING

On Decemeber 30, 2017, at the Education Centre of Europos Parkas the first public showing of documentary „EUROPOS PARKAS. THE BEGINNING“ directed by the famous filmmaker Algirdas Tarvydas, took place.

This documentary is unusual in many ways. The black and white film captures unique moments and exposes the very beginning of Europos Parkas, shows the creation process and tells us about famous artists. Film director draws a parallel between the Independence of Lithuania and the creation of the modern art museum, by using footage from the forest, which later becomes the park and the defense of the Parliament building in Vilnius as well as the storm of Vilnius TV Tower, the funeral of January 13th victims and other important moments of our nation’s determination.

Tarvydas’ documentary film „EUROPOS PARKAS. THE BEGINNING“covers more than a quarter-century of storyline and becomes a historic memory, showing a birth and growth of Europos Parkas – one of revived Lithuanian’s identity. This documentary is dedicated to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Restoration of the State of Lithuania in 2018.

Film creator Algirdas Tarvydas says: “I am a documentarian, that’s why I must capture a story. By recording Lithuanian fights for Independence I couldn’t possibly know the end results. Many times I risked my life when I stepped with camera into the whirlwind of events, where was shooting. Once I barely managed to not get killed. It was complicated, you're doing it and you do not know what's going to happen. It pains me, that young people are leaving Lithuania. It is necessary to work hard here, build a life, endure. This movie is about that.”

Stella Sands, Gintaras Karosas, Brigita Krasauskaitė, Raminta Jurėnaitė

Sasson Soffer. Midmien. Europos Parkas

Moments from opening of the sculpture Midmien by Sasson Soffer

On July 30th, 2017 a gigantic sculpture Midmien by famous artist Sasson Soffer (1925–2009) was introduced in Europos Parkas. The gifted painter and sculptor was born in Baghdad, yet received recognition in the USA. The museum of Europos Parkas is especially grateful to the Sasson Soffer Foundation in the person of his wife Stella Sands, and the initiator of the idea and organiser artist Brigita Krasauskaitė, who worked at the foundation, for an enormous contribution to the permanent exposition of Europos Parkas.

Gintaras Karosas, the founder and creator of Europos Parkas, says: "The work of Sasson Soffer in Europos Parkas is a sculpture of real modern art, which is rarely met nowadays. We are glad that from now on the visitors of Europos Parkas will have a chance to admire a magnificent expressionistic, virtuously implemented work of a talented artist, gigantic, yet not disturbing the natural environment".

Moments from opening in the photographs

Sasson Soffer. Midmien

The work by Sasson Soffer at Europos Parkas

The sculpture Midmien by talented artist Sasson Soffer (1925–2009) will be presented to the public in Europos Parkas next Sunday, July 30, at 12 noon.

Born in Baghdad, Sasson Soffer became a famous artist of New York. At first known as an abstract painter, he later become well known for his expressive three-dimensional public sculptures, exhibited in many countries world wide.

More information and registration: +370 5 2377 077, gk@europosparkas.lt

More information

Europos Parkas has implemented the project on the Conservation of Liubavas Manor Officine and Orangery and Its Adaptation to Cultural and Public Needs financed under the EEA financial mechanism's Programme Conservation and Revitalisation of Cultural and Natural Heritage

Baroque Buildings of Liubavas Manor Converted into Museum

The buildings of the 18th century baroque architecture ensemble of Liubavas Manor have been revived for a new life. The financial support of the European Economic Area and the Republic of Lithuania has created possibilities to conserve the objects of Lithuanian cultural heritage and adapt them for cultural and public needs. The buildings of the central representation part – servants' quarters (officine)/treasury and orangery have been conserved and adapted for the needs of the museum.

The project was implemented by Public Institution Europos Parkas; Liubavas Museum of History, Cultural and Technical Heritage founded by the Public Institution in the watermill of the manor has been operating since 2011. The officine and the orangery of the manor accommodate museum expositions. The Museum implemented the project in co-operation with the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research (NIKU) that has a lot of experience in the sphere of cultural heritage research and employs skilled specialists and experts.

An event presenting the results of the project will be held at 12:00 AM on Sunday, 30 April, 2017 in Liubavas Manor (Liubavas village, Vilnius District); during the event all those who are interested will be able to have a tour of the objects which have been the restored and converted into a museum as well as share their project implementation experience.

More information

Massimo Ghiotti arwork at Europos Parkas

Massimo Ghiotti – in Vilnius gallery Titanikas and Europos Parkas

Famous Italian artist Massimo Ghiotti's sculpture exhibition On the other side of appearance opened at the Vilnius Academy of Arts exhibition halls Titanikas.

Large scale artworks by Massimo Ghiotti we can see exhibited in Europos Parkas. For his sculptures, Ghiotti uses the specific items of industrial constructions, often having the potential possibility of motion – springs, pistons, crane cutters. These connected items are not intended for motion, they embody the antique equilibrium, proportions, harmony. Here, the motion is pressed, framed, concentrated into the anticipated inner stress.

In the exhibition On the other side of appearance we enter into a different expression and meet the new metal forms used by Massimo Ghiotti. They have already lost their three-dimensional expression and intensive brutality, which were previously used by the author to express the force in the elements of sculpture. Metal is still dominant, but now it is used in a form of canvas. These are stainless steel plates, in which the relationship, continuity of the nature of work and tensions remain.

Gallery Titanikas and Europos Parkas information. 

Public Training Seminar on the Dissemination of Norwegian and Lithuanian Experience in the Preservation of Cultural Heritage

A seminar intended for everyone interested in the issues of the cultural heritage preservation and restoration will be held on 12–13 November 2014. It is expected that the seminar would be of particular use for the owners and managers of manor houses and other immovable heritage of Lithuania.

Participants in the seminar will be invited to take part in discussions, using a unique opportunity to put questions to the experts from the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research and the Lithuanian researchers with many years' experience in the preservation of cultural heritage.

The seminar will take place in Europos parkas Education Centre. A visit to Liubavas Manor will be organised so that the participants in the seminar will have an opportunity to familiarise themselves with objects under restoration (the officine and the orangery) as well with those already restored and open to the public (the watermill museum).

The seminar is free of charge. The number of participants is limited, therefore, please kindly register in advance by writing to gk@europosparkas.lt

People will also be taken to the place of seminar by coach. The coach will leave at 9:00 AM from Forum Palace car parking lot at Upės Street.

More information

Europos Parkas is implementing a project on the Revitalisation of Liubavas Manor Officine and Orangery

Public Institution Europos Parkas has launched, jointly with its partner the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research (NIKU), a project on the Conservation of Liubavas Manor Officine and Orangery and Its Adaptation to Cultural and Public Needs which is financed under the EEA financial mechanism's Programme "Conservation and Revitalisation of Cultural and Natural Heritage". NIKU is Norway's largest cultural heritage research institution the specialists of which are hired for the restoration of cultural heritage sites in Europe and other parts of the world.

The aim of the project is to restore the 18th century Officine and Orangery of Liubavas Manor as well as adapt them for the purposes of a museum. The project will be implemented in the period from July 2014 until the beginning of 2016.

More information

The project increasing public accessibility of the museums has been launched

Public Institution Europos Parkas, one of the first NGOs in Lithuania, has launched the project „Increasing public accessibility of the Europos parkas and the Liubavas Museum situated in rural areas“. The project has been supported by the Lithuanian-Swiss Cooperation Programme through the NGO Fund.

Aim of the project – to contribute to the increase of economic and social cohesion by improving access for socially vulnerable groups of the society in Vilnius Region to museums situated in rural areas.

More information

Europos Parkas – one of the best museums

EUROPOS PARKAS, a museum in the centre of Europe, was named the third best Lithuanian museum 2012. The first place and the highest number of museum visitors’ votes went to the Museum of Rokiškis Region, followed by Ch. Frenkel’s Villa of the Šiauliai Aušra Museum. Experts of the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture selected 20 most attractive museums in Lithuania, allowing the public to give their vote online.

The voting continued throughout November and December 2012. The awards ceremony was held on 20 December 2012 in the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture, where sculptor Gintaras Karosas, founder of the Europos Parkas, was awarded a diploma signed by the Minister of Culture.

Europos Parkas' artistic landscape created within a neglected forest has been acknowledged as one of the best examples in Lithuania by the Committee of National Landscape Award organized by Lithuanian Ministry of Environment.

Report of Gintaras Karosas in a seminar devoted to Landscape

On 19 October, 2012, the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania organized a seminar to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the European Landscape Convention. Gintaras Karosas delivered a report „Open-air museum EUROPOS PARKAS in the River Neris valley“.

Europos Parkas' artistic landscape created within a neglected forest has been acknowledged as one of the best examples in Lithuania by the Committee of National Landscape award. The National Landscape Award was established by the Ministry of Environment regarding to the European Landscape Convention Article 11 seeking to exchange information about landscape management and to show good practice examples of landscape protection, management and planning.

Report of Gintaras Karosas in a seminar to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the European Landscape Convention

President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė visits Europos Parkas and Liubavas Manor Watermill Museum

President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė visits Europos Parkas and Liubavas Manor Watermill Museum

The National Award Ceremony celebrating Liubavas Manor Watermill Museum becoming a winner of European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Award 2012 took place on 18 September 2012. The event was held at the project site, Liubavas Village, Vilnius District. President of the Republic of Lithuania H. E. Dalia Grybauskaitė took part in the ceremony. Addresses by H. E. Dalia Grybauskaitė, President of the Republic of Lithuania, H. E. Leif Arne Ulland, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway, Dr. Roger Woodley, Vice Chair of the Europa Nostra Category 1 Jury, Gediminas Rutkauskas, Vice Minister of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, and others honoured the event.

President of the Republic of Lithuania saw the exposition of Liubavas Manor Watermill Museum and later visited Europos Parkas, the open-air art museum, which is close to Liubavas.

More information about National Award Ceremony at Liubavas Manor Watermill Museum

Speech of Gintaras Karosas at the National Award Ceremony of the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Award in Liubavas

European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Award

Events dedicated to honouring Liubavas Manor Watermill Museum with the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Award

The National Award Ceremony to celebrate honouring Liubavas Manor Watermill Museum with the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Award 2012 will be held on 18 September 2012. The Ceremony will be delivered at Liubavas Manor Watermill Museum, Liubavas Village, Vilnius District and is scheduled to begin at 11 a. m. The agenda of the National Award Ceremony includes an address by H. E. Dalia Grybauskaitė, President of the Republic of Lithuania.

According to the Rules of the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Award, national award events are held in each awarded country and are aimed at drawing public attention to the importance of proper protection of cultural heritage.

More information

Gintaras Karosas. Culture 

Artwork Kultūra (Culture) by Gintaras Karosas to be presented in Europos Parkas

The new art work Kultūra (Culture) created by sculptor Gintaras Karosas will be presented to the public in Europos Parkas next Sunday, July 29, at 12 noon. Kultūra (Culture) is a huge work attributable to landscaping art, which is spread out in an expressive open-air museum's area of more than one hectare.

Five sculptural forms of bright colours, whose contours are reminiscent of silhouettes of an iceberg, mountain or architectural object, as if melt and re-emerge in the nature, forming a sequence completed with elements of wildlife. Weaving sculptural forms, which rise to a height of nearly eight metres, are built up of several hundred thousand small pieces of marble. This exclusive work of art was constructed in Europos Parkas by a team of 7 craftsmen for as long as three years.

Sculptor Gintaras Karosas says that the concept of culture is very broad: “The term of culture can be defined by words easier than by forms. However, when you have gained experience, it is the time when visions mature and you want to speak about basic matters of human life. For me, culture first of all means meaningful traces of the past and present of the man, which have been built up piece by piece by the humankind. Culture is paradoxical: as strong as a foundation, but also fragile and endangered; appearing to be clear, but difficult to depict; as monumental as a mountain, but also as misleading as a labyrinth”.

More information

Gintaras Karosas presented his book Liubavas to Portuguese President Aníbal Cavaco Silva and invited him to visit Lithuania

EU prize for Cultural Heritage/Europa Nostra Award to Gintaras Karosas was presented in Lisbon

The best-preserved objects of the European cultural heritage were conferred awards at the solemn ceremony held by the European Union and Europa Nostra in Lisbon (Portugal). Sculptor Gintaras Karosas, the author of the project for the restoration of the Liubavas Manor watermill and its adaptation for a museum, received an honourable award. The whole list of the prize winners in the category of conservation includes 16 objects of European cultural heritage.

Gintaras Karosas delivered a report presenting the implemented project. The awards were presented by Androulla Vassiliou, the Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism, Sport, Media and Youth, and Plácido Domingo, President of Europa Nostra.

The solemn ceremony held at the courtyard of the Jerónimos Monastery (protected by UNESCO) was attended and addressed by Aníbal Cavaco Silva, President of Portugal, and members of the Portuguese royal family.

More information about the European Heritage Awards Ceremony

Gintaras Karosas' report delivered at the European Heritage Congress 2012

Gintaras Karosas, artist, creator of Europos Parkas and Liubavas Museums

Gintaras Karosas’s speech The challenging establishment of Europos Parkas, Lithuania’s first non-governmental museum in the scientific conference of Lithuanian museums

The endeavour to be the first in the post-independence Lithuania to open a museum by a non-governmental organisation presented a challenge, the experience and problems of which I would like to share with you. The establishment of a new museum, just like any other creative undertaking, is first of all related with the concepts of intuition, dream, vision, artist’s self-fulfilment and the will to embody an idea. This is reminiscent with a long and exhaustive mountain climbing, expecting to see the promised wonderful landscape. On the way up we discover a whole variety of sights.

In the process of creating Europos Parkas museum there were two main fields of activity: the institutional, or the managerial, and that of the aesthetic value, or the artistic landscape creation-embodiment. The essence and value of a modern and contemporary art museum in the open air is the artistic landscape, which is now under development. This is not a cultural heritage that we inherit but rather the heritage that we want to develop and pass on to the coming generations. An open-air museum has its peculiarities as it is a museum of aesthetic landscape. It is always in a particular place in situ, nowhere else, and its essence lies in its genius loci. The spirit of the place, or the aura of the landscape, takes time to create as it requires thorough acquaintance with the location and polishing it for years.

The speech in full.

Liubavas Museum – winner of the EU Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Award

Europa Nostra, the most influential heritage organisation in Europe, has recognised Liubavas Manor Watermill Museum near Vilnius a prime example in conservation of European cultural heritage, which is to receive European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Award to highlight the excellence in restoration, done with love and care. The museum represents a conversion of one of the landmarks of cultural heritage, done at the initiative of sculptor Gintaras Karosas in 2011. The project had the support of the Financial Mechanisms of the European Economic Area and Norway.

Out of the 226 applications from 31 countries, the independent experts of Europa Nostra chose 16 that will be awarded for ultimate achievements in the category of heritage conservation. Only two cultural heritage sites located in post-communist European countries will receive this award.

More information

Europos parkas celebrates its 20th anniversary

This year open-air museum Europos Parkas celebrates its 20th anniversary. The creation of Europos Parkas began back in 1987 when a nineteen-year-old artist Gintaras Karosas, having read in an inter-war geography textbook that the centre of Europe was near Vilnius, started creating a world art museum in wild woodland. In the summer of 1991 he built the first sculpture. The main driving force behind the foundation of Europos Parkas was a dream and a desire to have an exceptional ensemble of art and nature that would represent Lithuania. The development of Europos Parkas established in people’s mind the perception of Lithuania as the country that is in the geographical centre of Europe.

The landscape of Europos Parkas has been constantly transforming, shaping and developing, thus creating a new quality over and over again. Now, the open-air museum covering the area of 55 hectares is home for more than a hundred artworks created by artists from all over the world. Europos Parkas has become one of the identifiers of the contemporary Lithuanian culture.

More information

Damien Moreau. Reclining Woman

A sculpture by a Belgian artist has been unveiled in Europos Parkas

Reclining Woman, a sculpture by a Belgian artist Damien Moreau has been unveiling in Europos Parkas.

The Kingdom of Belgium donated the sculpture to the Republic of Lithuania on the occasion of its presidency of the Council of the European Union. The sculptor Damien Moreau took part in the sculpture uncovering ceremony. The Reclining Woman in Europos Parkas will represent a tiny part of the Belgian culture in Lithuania.

More information

Liubavas Manor Mill Being Transformed into a Museum

The Public Institution Europos Parkas is executing the Restoration of Liubavas Manor mill, its Adaptation to Cultural and Public Needs, and is half-completed. The project is supported by a grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Financial Mechanism and co-financed by the Republic of Lithuania.

The main goal of the project is to restore the mill for cultural purposes and to create a museum inside for the public. The museum will demonstrate the usage of mill equipment, and will share the history of Liubavas Manor. Much of the restoration has been completed, furniture is being constructed, the exposition and a web-site are being created.

Liubavas Manor Mill Museum will open its doors to visitors in 2011.

More information

The exhibition “Europos Parkas: From a Dream to the Present”

An unusual exhibition in Europos Parkas

Europos Parkas invites visitors of the museum to come to see an unusual exhibition. Why is it unusual? It is because the stands of the exposition are situated not in a hall but right in the open air. The exhibition “Europos Parkas: From a Dream to the Present” presents the main principles of creation of Europos Parkas or, as the creator of the museum Gintaras Karosas says, it is a collection of answers to frequently asked questions.

The principle of the open air exhibition corresponds to the general idea of the open air museum: here grass means the floor, trees become walls of the exposition halls, and the sky serves as the ceiling. The exhibition reveals the way from the concept of the museum to its implementation, it brings the spectator emotionally and intellectually closer to the exhibited works of art.

There are twenty pages of a huge book with text and photographs, each designed for a certain topic. “Art”, Black Sheep”, “Friendly architecture”, “People”, “The Miracle”. The project is partly financed by Lithuanian Cultural Fund.

More information.

On 9 November 2009 a fragment of the Berlin Wall was mounted and opened in Europos Parkas.

A fragment of the Berlin Wall in Europos Parkas

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall the German Embassy together with the Goethe Institute in Lithuania gave the city of Vilnius a unique gift – a fragment of the Berlin Wall. On 9 November 2009 a fragment of the Berlin Wall was mounted and opened in Europos Parkas. The opening ceremony was attended by the German Ambassador in Lithuania Hans-Peter Annen, the Deputy Vilnius Mayor Vidmantas Martikonis, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania Audronius Ažubalis, representatives of the project organisers, press representatives and a large number of guests.

After regaining of Independence, Europos Parkas,demonstrates opening of Lithuania for European art and culture. Europos Parkas, being among the first ones to invite artists from all over the world to come to Lithuania, started “tearing down Berlin walls” in the field of culture and became a symbol of new thinking and a bridge between different cultures.

More information

Europos Parkas has started the project for revitalizing of Liubavas manor watermill

Public Institution Europos Parkas is implementing the project “Restoration of Liubavas Manor Watermill and its Adaptation to Cultural and Public Needs”. The project is supported by a grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Financial Mechanism and co-financed by the Republic of Lithuania.

The project is dedicated to preservation of valuable cultural heritage object in the district of Vilnius. Its duration is 18 months. Main purpose of the project is restoration of a former Liubavas manor watermill and its adaptation to cultural and public needs. In order to preserve and reveal valuable properties of the object to the maximum extent, the mill will be used as a museum.

More information

The works by Gintaras Karosas were presented in Europos Parkas

On 25 June 2009 works created in 2001 – 2009 by the sculptor Gintaras Karosas, the founder of Europos Parkas, were presented in Europos Parkas.

The artist is creating exceptionally in the space of Europos Parkas. As Gintaras Karosas is also the author of the whole landscape of Europos Parkas occupying 55 ha, his works are firmly incorporated into the environment. Forming relations between sculptures and the landscape, for his works Karosas chooses minimalistic forms, foregoing details or, as he himself says, brushing unnecessary varnish off.

More information

A sculpture intended for the Millennium of Lithuania has been built in Europos Parkas

On 29 April 2009,  the opening of a new sculpture Conjuror created by one of the most prominent contemporary artists Magdalena Abakanowicz took place in Europos Parkas. This new work of art is created specially for the occasion of the Millennium of Lithuania and the event Vilnius – European Capital of Culture 2009. The author of the sculpture took part in the unveiling ceremony.

Prof. Magdalena Abakanowicz is one of the most prominent and influential artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. Mrs. Abakanowicz has organised over 100 personal exhibitions in the world, her works are included in the most important collections of museums all over the world.

This project is part of national program Vilnius – Cultural Capital of Europe 2009.

More information       Invitation

Europos Parkas becomes more accessible

This autumn, Europos Parkas announces good news for schoolchildren and pensioners of Vilnius city. The museum started implementing the project Increasing Access to Europos Parkas and Development of Collection supported by Vilnius City Municipality. Under this Project, groups of schoolchildren of Vilnius City and pensioners residing in Vilnius will be able to visit Europos Parkas for free the whole year.

More information

Europos Parkas implemented the project supported by Fund for Project Development from EEA and the Norwegian Financial Mechanisms

Public Institution Europos Parkas successfully implemented the project Preparation of Investment and Technical Projects for the Restoration of Liubavas Manor Watermill and Its Adaptation to Cultural and Public Needs supported under EEA and Norwegian Financial Mechanisms. All specified objectives had been achieved.

More information

Lithuania’s national logo presented in Europos Parkas

On 21 August 2008, Lithuanian national logo designated to promote the country’s name and spread information about the country in the world, our peculiarities and distinctive features was presented in Europos Parkas. The conception based on which the Lithuanian national logo was created was grounded on the statement Lithuania is a brave country. Over 100 guests, i.e. Vytas Navickas, Minister of Economy of the Republic of Lithuania, managers of State Department of Tourism, Lithuanian Tourism Development Agency, and a lot of media representatives, participated in the presentation.

The Recognition of State Significance

Pursuant to Resolution No. 76 of 23 January 2008, the Government of the Republic of Lithuania accepted the activities of the museum of the Public Institution Europos Parkas as the project of state significance.

As the Government Press Service and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania emphasize in their press releases: „Europos Parkas museum is an outstanding object in Lithuania, integrating the naturally formed scenery and contemporary sculpture art, by thus creating the unique cultural landscape.

After accepting the museum activities of Europos Parkas as the cultural project significant to the state, the positive image of Lithuania will be shaped more effectively, the idea of the country in the geographical centre of Europe will be spread, and the accumulation of the cultural values as well as the formation of the cultural landscape will be further actively combined with the cooperation of the artists from different countries, provision of information about plastic arts to the public.“

Europos Parkas Featured in Lithuania Superbrands 2007

On 30 October 2007 at Vilnius University, Superbrands, an international independent arbiter on branding, launched Lithuania Superbrands 2007, a national branding book. It features Europos Parkas amongst the 28 brands that have been performing beyond others within the market, that are exceptional brands in their values and success stories as well as original presentation.

Vilnius University and Europos Parkas are the only non-business organisations that earned the status of Superbrand.

This status is recognised as a benchmark for brand success. In over 70 countries, a national Superbrands Council, which consists of the most high profile and experienced experts in the market and leaders from media channels, is tasked with compiling a Superbrands list.

For over a decade, the Superbrand rating process is run in order to identify brands as high achievers in building their image and value within the market. Of the Baltic States, Lithuania is the first country that published a national book of Superbrands.

Massimo Ghiotti (Italy). Tetra vis / Power of Four 

Ghiotti's Sculptures Returned to Europos Parkas

Having travelled around other European countries, in May 2007, sculptures by Massimo Ghiotti returned to Lithuania. Seven steel sculptures by the well-known Italian artist were displayed at the space of the open-air museum prepared specially for them. For his sculptures, Ghiotti uses the specific items of industrial constructions, often having the potential possibility of motion – springs, pistons, crane cutters. These connected items are not intended for motion, they embody the antique equilibrium, proportions, harmony. Here, the motion is pressed, framed, concentrated into the anticipated inner stress.

The exposition of the sculptures by M. Ghiotti in Europos Parkas includes the following creations: Tetra vis (Power of Four), Tetrachia (Divided Power), Rotante (Rotating Device), Onde (Wave Form), Vis (Power Source), Eraclitea (Hercules' Challenge) and Incursa (Running Gear).

Educational Tool Artist’s House is Available Online

Visitors of the website of Europos Parkas are invited to visit an interactive Artist’s House. It is an online version of the educational tool developed with participation of Europos Parkas within the framework of the international project DIDART.

Created under the umbrella of the project, six mobile Artist’s Houses have been travelling across the countries of project partners. One of the houses is Gintaras Karosas’s house. These educational tools allow an in-depth insight into the artist’s oeuvre; discovery of his works, biography, as well as his hobbies, dreams, childhood memories, favourite music, and the very process of creation.

The interactive Artist’s House is meant for schoolchildren, students, art teachers, art education professionals and everybody who loves art.

Europos Parkas Guide

In December 2006, Europos Parkas Guide was published. The guide presents sculptures, built in  the open-air museum during a period of more than fifteen years, their authors and brief description.

Gintaras Karosas, the author of Europos Parkas landscape, writes in the introduction of the book: “The guide does not explore all sculptures, environment art works, installations created during the period of time mentioned – considerably more of them had been created, however, not all projects are long-lasting – in the course of time, part of works created from short-lived materials have vanished.

Since the time touches upon works of art, photographs of some works will no longer correspond to the real picture, because their photographs were taken at the moment when they were put on exhibition. The landscape of Europos Parkas is still under formation and constant improvement which is why some works now appear in different areas of the park than those you have seen in photographs.

We wish you meaningful discoveries exploring the mysterious world of art!”

The publication was sponsored by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania and TOYOTA's centre Tokvila.

New Sculpture Gintare / Electricity

On 8 December 2006, Gintare / Electricity, a new work by Evaldas Pauza was unveiled in Europos Parkas. This sculpture is the winner of an international competition “Light, electricity, energy”. 46 artists from 18 countries across the world took part in the competition. Competitors based in very remote countries such as Argentina and Cuba also submitted their projects.

The project of Evaldas Pauza, a Lithuanian artist, was recognised as the winner of the international competition. The word “electricity” originated from Greek elektron (in Lithuanian gintaras, in English amber). A little girl Gintare like a scientist explores the phenomenon of electrifying. The sculpture was sponsored by Rytų skirstomieji tinklai.

The National Advancement Prize was awarded to Gintaras Karosas for establishing the open-air museum of the Europos Parkas

Gintaras Karosas - laureate of The National Advancement Prize

On May 28, 2006, Gintaras Karosas was pronounced the winner of the Cultural Advancement Prize. The National Advancement Prize was awarded to Gintaras Karosas for establishing the open-air museum of the Europos Parkas. During the award ceremony, sculptor Gintaras Karosas voiced thanks “to the people who would lend well-meant assistance and to those, who at least would not hinder during the entire years of developing the Europos Parkas.”

The young artist’s dream to create a museum of modern and contemporary art became a reality. Thanks to his talent, creative efforts and persistent work, Karosas managed to turn the desolate location near Vilnius into a centre of attraction by placing an emphasis not on heritage, but rather on the subject of art of this century. The personal creative initiative became a cultural phenomenon, which has remained unexplainable for many people ridden with stereotypical thinking. The idea of establishing a museum, a park is usually seen as the prerogative of the state. However, the idea of the Europos Parkas is being implemented by non-governmental organisations.

More information

Competition to develop a sculpture

The open-air art museum Europos Parkas is opening a competition in partnership with the electric networking and supply company Rytu Skirstomieji Tinklai to develop a sculpture. The theme: “Light, electricity, energy”. Participants of the competition are asked to submit sculpture project proposed for Europos Parkas (sketches, drawings or model  – or its photographs); a description of the submitted work; images (slides, photos, etc) of previous artworks; a short author's biography (CV) and list of exhibitions. The deadline is April 30th, 2006.

More information

Gintaras Karosas and Magdalena Abakanowicz

(the documentary Strolling through Europos Parkas)

Lithuanian national television created the documentary about Europos Parkas

Lithuanian National television created the documentary Strolling through Europos Parkas. Scriptwriter and director – Vidmantas Baciulis, cameraman – Vytas Plytnikas.

The film is sort of the mosaic of moods, arranged from different spectrums of the museum activities: both the daily activities and education as well as multicultural communication exist here.

Authors of the film, by refusing the didactics, summarize the route covered from the neglected, swampy forest to creation of the outstanding cultural object able to invite about 60,000 visitors per year.

The idea of the Europos Parkas Festival 2006 was presented in the international music industry fair MIDEM

In the 39th international music fair MIDEM 2005, which has taken place in Cannes (France) on January 23-27, in the joint stand of the Baltic countries Lithuania has for the first time presented its music industry. The new project Europos Parkas Festival has also been presented in the official stand of Lithuania.

The initiator and producer of the Europos Parkas Festival Odeta Abromaviciute sincerely thanks for all the people of the good will who have in every possible way have contributed to the presentation of the idea of the project in MIDEM and expresses a special gratitude to „Yanos“ (Netherlands), „Carlson Wagonlit Travel“, „Ermara“ Ltd., „Concept Events & Media“ Ltd., advertising agency „Aola“, „Arx Baltica“ Ltd., leisure and entertainment center „Belmontas“, cocktail bar „Iki Ausros“ and „Dora“ Ltd. More information on MIDEM 2005

Patricia Goodrich. Voices Underground

Europos Parkas meets this spring awaiting the bloom of the Voices Underground’s hillock.

The author of this earthwork created in Europos Parkas - American artist Patricia Goodrich.

Voices Underground plants the voices of forty-four artists from fifteen countries by sowing the seed of perennial wildflowers and burying bulbs over a three hundred foot site of stretched and spliced audiotapes. The recorded tapes include artists speaking about their artistic journeys, creative process and way of living in English and in their native languages. More information about Voices Underground created by Patricia Goodrich.

CATCH

THE WIND

Europos Parkas in partnership with the packaging company "PakMarkas" is opening a competition to develop a sculpture.

The theme of the sculpture: "Catch The Wind" The implemented sculpture is to be exhibited in Europos Parkas. The deadline for submitting the projects is April 15, 2004.

The participants of the competition have to submit: sculpture project proposed for Europos Parkas (sketches, drawings or photographs); a description of the submitted work; images (slides, photos, etc) of previous artworks; a short author's biography (CV) and a list of exhibitions. More information about the competition.

Europos Parkas project

BSR Museums Co-operation: Tourism and Education

is co-financed by the EU PHARE 2001

Co-operation Programme in the Baltic Sea Region

Europos Parkas project has been granted by EU PHARE 2001 Co-operation in the Baltic Sea Region Programme.

The aim of the project BSR Museums Co-operation: Tourism and Education is to establish a co-operative networking among museums that present modern and contemporary art within the Baltic Sea Region. A particular emphasis is made on education function of those museums and sharing the educational practice among them. Another issue that is addressed is promotion of these museums as cultural tourism attractions that provide both learning and fun experience.

The partners of the project are Louisiana Museum of Modern Art & Education Center Copenhagen (Denmark), The Wanås Foundation (Sweden), The Museum of New Art (Estonia), Foundation Abava Valley (Latvia) and Vilnius Art School for Children and Youth (Vilnius, Lithuania). More information about the project.

On November 29, 2003 Lithuania Post issued a postal stationery card "Europos Parkas"

Lithuania Post has issued a postal stationery card "Europos Parkas".

On November 29, 2003 Lithuania Post issued a postal stationery card "Europos Parkas". In Vilnius Main Post Office the new postal stationery card was cancelled with a first day cancellation on this day.

Postal stationery card is a post card with a printed stamp. The founder of the park, sculptor Gintaras Karosas has designed the card. The postal stationery card contains images of the Monument of the Centre of Europe. This sculpture indicates all capitals of Europe, information on the distances to them as measured from the centre of Europe. The unique stamp of the post card includes a logo of Europos Parkas.

Mobile sculptures by Mindaugas Tendziagolskis

Mobile sculptures in Europos Parkas

On July 31, 2003, the unique composition of movable sculptures, MOBILE GAMES was presented in Europos Parkas. It is an artwork made up of 5 separate sculptures. Each piece is a dynamic component of a larger work, specifically made for outdoor games. Both children and adults can enjoy the fun. These playful art objects are created so one can play alone, as a couple, or in a group.

The ancient origin of the very singular sculpture, MOBILE GAMES, is authentic to the Lithuanian culture. The creator of MOBILE GAMES is a young Lithuanian sculptor Mindaugas Tendziagolskis.

Don’t miss the opportunity to experience this remarkable artwork; an experience you can enjoy not just visually, but with your whole being.

You are cordially invited to join in the game. You are always welcome: come and play in Europos Parkas.

MOBILE GAMES VIDEO

Gintaras Karosas. The Place

The Place – a new landscape artwork by Gintaras Karosas – was presented to the public

On June 25, 2003, the new artwork The Place, by Gintaras Karosas, was presented to the public.

The artist using eight-meter-high steel poles, an array of boulders, and a pond assembled a huge artistic landscape. Using special technology, steel poles angled in a square were evenly covered with bright orange rust.

The Place was presented and introduced to the public by Gintaras Karosas, the artist and founder of the museum. The event which included a modern dance performance, was covered by art critic Laima Kreivyte. The sponsors, members and friends of Europos Parkas participated in the happening.

The Place is the fifth work by Gintaras Karosas created for Europos Parkas. The four other artworks are: Symbol of Europos Parkas, Monument of the Center of Europe, For Your Convenience and a sculpture made up of more than 3 000 TV sets called, LNK Infotree.

DeWitt Godfrey. Europe Sculpture

Artūras Raila. White

Europos Parkas invites to see the newest works built at the park this season.

Sculptor from the United States DeWitt Godfrey (called by journalists a “Steel Man”) created the largest object in Europos Parkas this year. In order to construct the sculpture the artist used more than 3,5 tones of steel squares and over 2000 extraordinary firm bolts. The flexible metal structure was constructed of thousands rectangular elements. Due to its unusual design the shape of the sculpture is self-pressed by inner powers. It seems like the author wanted to deny the myth of metal strength. Despite its deceptive form the sculpture is firm indeed.

Visiting artist Akihiko Kuwayama created a sculpture named Snake in Europos Parkas. The young sculptor was heating and bending the metal wire for several weeks. Gradually the wire took a shape of a snake.
 

VIDEO taken by Richard Kambak

Akihiko Kuwayama is painting the playful Snake. Soon it will sneak into the meadow of the park.
 

Three new sculptures of Lithuanian authors enriched Europos Parkas collection this year: Threshold 1838 by Egle Kuckaite Dreamy Pillow by Mija Dzeinara Ubartas and White by Arturas Raila.

President of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus visited Europos Parkas during the celebration of the day of Europe

On the 9th of May, 2002 a lot of people visited Europos Parkas to celebrate the day of Europe.

At the park guests met with President of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus, the head of European Commission delegation in Lithuania Michael Graham, Minister of Foreign Affaires of Lithuania Antanas Valionis, chief negotiator with European Union Petras Auštrevičius and others.

Entrance to the Park was free. During the festivity President Valdas Adamkus was awarded as the most European Lithuanian. Sweet Jazz Band musicians amused guests; discussions took place all day long.

The guests of the park had a good time while looking around unique art pieces exhibited in the park. President met the young people, get acquainted with the exposition of the park and left his greetings in Guests’ Book wishing for Europos Parkas to become the centre of attraction for whole Europe.

See more pictures from celebration of the day of Europe in the park.

Back to INDEX