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Feliksas Jakubauskas
 
Please, wait for the image to be loaded! Work of Feliksas Jakubauskas
8. Feliksas Jakubauskas Lithuania

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Why did I choose classical tapestry as the field for my creative work? That’s quite a complex question, but probably it was because I am an applied arts person. I like to feel raw materials in my hands and with their help to realise my ideas. I have been working with this technique for thirty years, and during this time my understanding of it has altered. My early works were completely tied to tapestry techniques, but with time my subjects and materials changed. My first works were subject-related, realistic. Later, I understood that this hindered my ability to express myself fully. I started to create abstract compositions, introducing diagonal weaving, and together with wool I started to use thick yarn and rayon. That injected freshness and life into my works.

      Classical tapestry consumes a lot of time. It is sad that recently many artists have chosen faster textile techniques and have abandoned tapestry. Thankfully, there are still those who are dedicated to it. Overall, I feel a sense of accomplishment when I can give form to an idea from beginning to end. No-one can allay the doubts and nervousness experienced during the development of an idea, the transfer of the idea onto board, the selection of fibres, and the colours of these. On the other hand, there is the joy of improvising on the weaving loom. And without question there is the finished product, when you are consumed either by great joy or by bitter disappointment when you cut the work from the loom.

      At the beginning, on receiving the invitation to participate in this project, I was still uncertain. But curiosity won the day as I wanted to test myself and at the same time see other European colleagues working in the same sphere, and also their thinking and their artistic style. I think that this is the greatest merit of the project. Of course, it was difficult to express myself freely considering the constraints imposed by the small format, subject-matter, and colour palette. In addition, it was unfortunate that I had not seen this tapestry in real life; this would have made the situation easier. I kept the subject-matter (two birds) and colours as close as possible to those in the photographs supplied. I inclined towards a realistic representation of the birds. I think that an ornithologist would be able to identify their species accurately. The background I interpreted in a decorative manner, making use of my favourite diagonal weaving.