Artūras Raila
Shortly after finishing his studies on sculpture, Artūras Raila (°1962) decided to change the direction of his artwork. Since the mid-nineties, Raila has created subversive works in diverse forms of media, which inspire reflection. His pieces employ all manner of techniques, from film and photography, to the written word and performance art. Some of which take place in art institutes, while others do not. Raila lives and works in Vilnius where he teaches photography at the art academy.
His intelligent, non-academic approach to institutional criticism and discourse analysis are what make it possible for him to effectively expose the concealed undercurrents of contemporary society, both in Lithuania and elsewhere. His pieces often show or simulate how “ordinary people” perceive their world, history and the society they live in. To accomplish this effect, Raila works in close proximity with social target groups and subcultures. From an ethical and practical perspective he is utterly transparent with the people he works with. By relying on this method he is able to simultaneously tone down and further accentuate the critical tone of his creations. Raila incorporates the contributions of these people into the scripts of his new pieces; however, he always leaves room for the unexpected.