On August 19, the Lithuanian Artists’ Association gallery Art Kiosk (Vokiečių St. 4, Vilnius) will open the exhibition of the latest works by glass artist Viktoras Dailidėnas, titled Glass Exhibition X. The exhibition represents the artist’s conceptual vision, where glass is interpreted not merely as a material substance but as a multilayered semiotic medium, capable of articulating emotional, narrative, and symbolic dimensions while integrating interactions between materiality, form, and light.
“I aim to give ordinary glass a new life, so that it speaks to the viewer and begins to tell a story. For me, glass is not only a material but also a metaphor: the interplay of fragility and strength, moments of temporal flow and instantaneous perception, a dialogue between the visible and the invisible. Each relief, each expression of form becomes an autonomous space, intertwining nature-inspired motifs, human emotions, and collective memory. My goal is to create a visual language that invites contemplation, reflection, and an experience of the polysemy of glass—both conceptually and emotionally,” says Viktoras Dailidėnas.
Glass Exhibition X emerges at a time when contemporary glass art increasingly transcends the boundaries of applied arts and establishes itself as an autonomous form of contemporary sculpture. In recent decades, glass, long associated with stained glass, decorative objects, or interior elements, has become more conceptual and experimental. Within this context, Viktoras Dailidėnas occupies a distinctive position, utilizing the physical properties of the material to open new avenues of interpretation.
The works presented in the exhibition reflect not only the technical maturity of the artist but also his ideological orientation. Here, glass functions as a profound metaphorical layer—its transparency and fragility remind viewers of temporality, while monumental, relief-like surfaces convey the sensation of time made tangible. Dailidėnas’s works encourage the viewer to pause, examine surface details, observe the play of light and contrasts of texture, and discover symbolic content.
Glass Exhibition X also serves as a creative laboratory, where the artist combines diverse techniques, experiments with oxidation effects, and explores the optical and plastic qualities of glass surfaces. This approach generates a multilayered visual experience where technology, aesthetics, and philosophical inquiry converge.
A significant element of the exhibition is the motif of nature and life. These motifs are not merely decorative but conceptual: plant forms serve as metaphors for the cycle of life, while the stability of glass contrasts with the dynamic transformation of organic nature. This tension between static and dynamic imparts an inner energy to the works.
The exhibition also establishes a dialogue with the Lithuanian Symbolist tradition, particularly the poetic language of M. K. Čiurlionis. Dailidėnas does not replicate direct references but assimilates the atmosphere, color relationships, and metaphorical potency of his work, creating a bridge between different artistic epochs—the Symbolism of the late 19th century and 21st-century contemporary glass art.
Ultimately, Glass Exhibition X is an invitation to reconsider our relationship with space and material. Each work becomes a distinct “spatial stop,” where glass not only reflects the environment but also immerses the viewer in an internal narrative dictated by the material itself. The exhibition can be experienced visually, emotionally, and intellectually—as a multilayered creative diary captured in glass.
About the Artist:
Viktoras Dailidėnas, born in 1979 in Panevėžys, is a cultivator of the “language of glass.” His creative environment was nurtured from early childhood, growing up in the family of artists Jonas and Lidija Dailidėnas. Initially studying ceramics, he later expanded his artistic scope to glass—a capricious material that he came to love through technical curiosity and years of study.
He graduated from Kaunas J. Vienožinskis College (Glass Technology), mastering blowing, fusing, and casting techniques, and deepened his artistic focus at the Vilnius Academy of Arts, obtaining a Bachelor’s (2004) and Master’s (2006) degree in stained glass.
Since 1997, Dailidėnas has actively participated in prestigious glass art exhibitions and symposiums in Lithuania and abroad, including Germany (Glassbrucke Berlin, The Baltic Way), Latvia (Voice of Glass), the USA (Contemporary Craft Show), and exhibition cycles such as Vitrum Balticum and Glass Age. He is particularly known as one of Lithuania’s experimentalists in architectural glass, merging conceptual art with technical precision, thereby creating a lasting contribution to the field.
Since 2009, he has been a member of the Lithuanian Artists’ Association, and since 2016, an active collaborator of the National Association of Creative and Cultural Industries. Together with his wife, designer Laura Dailidėnienė, he develops the brand Laura Daili Vilnius, combining glass art and design in international exhibitions.
Another of the artist’s pursuits is the fusion of bonsai and glass vessels—a project of dialogue between art and nature. By using glass containers for shaping bonsai trees, he reflects on life and the subtle aesthetic connection between creative practice and nature.
Opening: August 19, 19:00
Location: Lithuanian Artists’ Association Gallery Art Kiosk, Vokiečių St. 4, Vilnius
Exhibition runs until: September 1
Author: Echo Gone Wrong @echogonewrong
