National Gallery of Art Reopens in Vilnius with Controversial Renovation and Ambitious Exhibitions

On June 20, 2009, the National Gallery of Art in Vilnius welcomed visitors again after nearly 20 years without a dedicated exhibition for 20th-century Lithuanian art. Located in the refurbished former Museum of Revolution, which was designed by Gediminas Baravykas and Vytautas Vielius in 1966, renovations commenced in 2004, led by Andrius Bu?as, Gintaras Kuginis, and Darius ?aplinskas. The gallery comprises nine exhibition spaces along with a video screening room, highlighting Lithuanian art from the 20th to 21st centuries. Director Romualdas Budrys views the collection as an evolving entity, while head Lolita Jablonskien? emphasizes modern reinterpretations. The inaugural exhibitions included 'Dialogues of Colour and Sound' and 'Cold War Modern,' which debuted on October 2, the first of its kind in a former Eastern bloc nation.