Landscape Formations. Open call

Kintai Arts is pleased to announce an open call for local and international artists specializing in visual arts to apply for the artistic residency "Landscape Formations", scheduled to take place from July 20 to August 3, 2025.

During the residency, artists are invited to draw direct inspiration from the Pomeranian coast and its rich cultural and natural heritage, reimagining the symbols of the location through various visual arts mediums. The term formation (lot. formatio) signifies the act of shaping or creating. Its primary connotation pertains to the geological processes through which rocks are structured under specific tectonic and climatic conditions over prolonged periods. Viewing the landscape through the lens of formation allows for an exploration of the plein-air motif as a foundational concept while transcending its superficial representation. In essence, it involves beginning with the earth’s structural constructs when depicting a landscape and, perhaps, revealing those constructs to the viewer.

Moreover, the artistic exploration of the interaction between humans and nature, as well as the theme of the Anthropocene, is inevitable. As a result, during the residency, artists will be encouraged to interpret the theme of Landscape Formation broadly, exploring topics ranging from ecological challenges—leading to shifts in regional climate conditions and landscape transformations—to geopolitical crises resulting in mass migrations and environmental destruction. Additionally, personal challenges in the contemporary world, such as the pursuit of identity in rapidly changing environment, feelings of insecurity, and the search for existential meaning, will also be explored.

The residency will also feature discussions on the classical landscape genre and its relevance in today’s contemporary visual art scene. Artists will be invited to present their oeuvre during open studio evenings and engage in discussions with fellow participants, the residency curator, and art critics. Additionally, the program will include symposium presentations by selected speakers—artists, art critics, and/or philosophers from Lithuania and Poland.

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Residency activities:

• Open Studios, Discussions, and Site Visits: artists will participate in open studio sessions, discussions, and visits to selected plein-air locations. Moderators: artist and curator Kristina Mažeikaitė and artist and art critic Agnė Kulbytė.
• Symposium Discussions: selected speakers, including artists, philosophers, and art critics, will present topics on visual arts and theoretical perspectives related to contemporary landscape representation.
• Visual thinking workshop with art historian Karen Vanhercke.
• Landscape Excursions – 3 explorations of the local environment: Birdwatching with an ornithologist, Sailing on the Curonian Lagoon aboard a historical boat, A visit to Ventė Cape.
• Final Presentation: at the end of the residency, participants will have the opportunity to showcase their work in the Kintai Arts gallery, curated by Kristina Mažeikaitė.
• Additional Exhibitions: further exhibitions and related events are planned in Klaipėda (Lithuania) and Riga (Latvia) (October–December 2025), curated by Kristina Mažeikaitė.
  
  

Number of participantsup to 5 artists working in visual arts.

The project is financed by Lithuanian Council for Culture