Never before seen Shots by Photoartist A. Sutkus at the VU Grand Courtyard

On 9 September at 6 PM, the Vilnius University (VU) Grand Courtyard is holding the opening of the photography exhibition “People of the University” by the famous photographer, winner of the Lithuanian National Prize of the Culture and Art Antanas Sutkus. Never before seen A. Sutkus’s shots and photos of the art project - portraits of VU teachers - implemented in collaboration with the new generation photographer Artūras Morozovas will invite to get acquainted with VU spaces, people, and history from the unique perspective of artists.

“This exhibition hosts the photos taken since 1958. I started photographing when I came to study at the University. I worked for a student newspaper and took some photos for my personal archive. One of the photographs, “Marathon on University Street”, captures my then girlfriend. This photo was taken on the 3 rd floor of the Stuoka dormitory, I was strapped and held by the feet, leaning over the balcony railings. I only had 10 seconds to shoot”, A. Sutkus says.

The exclusive exhibition of portraits of VU lecturers and A. Sutkus’s shots, which have not been exhibited anywhere else, will allow to get to know the extraordinary personalities of VU, such as the longest-serving and youngest VU Rector Jonas Kubilius; to learn more about the events that have become traditions, one of which is the Poetry Spring Festival, which still takes place in the yard named after the former VU professor M. K. Sarbievijus. The exhibition will also provide an opportunity to learn more about the legendary traditions of the VU community, revealing why a dinosaur has been coming to the Faculty of Philology on the occasion of Physicists’ Day for the last 50 years. According to the legend, this Dino Saur once swallowed a philologist, so physicists annually travel to apologize to them.

The idea for the joint project was inspired by the well-known legendary photograph of A. Sutkus from Universiteto Street (“Marathon on University Street”), which was purchased by Sir Elton John himself. The unfading memory of this and other photographs taken by A. Sutkus at Vilnius University prompted the university to invite the well-known photographer, famous in Lithuania as well as abroad, and his student A. Morozovas to join the art project. The portraits of VU professors revealed a professor who is ready to establish a sincere, direct, and understanding relationship with his students, which is important both in the university and in the activities of photographers.

“Photography is an important source to nourish memory and identity of the University. The photographs by Antanas Sutkus, a famous Lithuanian photo artist and alumnus of the Vilnius University, show life at the University. The images allow one to sense the recent history of the University, see familiar faces, buildings and feel the academic atmosphere. The exhibition is complemented and continued by Artūras Morozovas, who took portraits of VU lecturers, and who calls Sutkus his teacher. In this way, a dialogue between the present and the past takes place”, VU Rector Prof. R. Petrauskas says.

An open and free exhibition of A. Sutkus and A. Morozova’s photographs “People of the University” will take place from 9 September to 28 October in the Grand Courtyard of Vilnius University, Universiteto g. 3. The exhibition is hosted by Vilnius University and law firm Glimstedt.

Guests attending the opening of the exhibition on 9 September at 6 PM will be required to present an opportunity passport or an equivalent document.