ART STREET LIFE RHYTHM

In 2016, the Šiauliai Art Gallery organized the first international graffiti art plein air event, "The Abduction of the Sun." The artistic event was dedicated to the 780th anniversary of the Battle of Saule. Well-known artists from Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Italy, and Germany participated in the unconventional art plein air event "The Abduction of the Sun." The first neofresco was created by the renowned Italian artist Guido Bisogni.

The artworks created in various districts of the city gave meaning and interpretation to the Battle of Saule, which is important to Lithuanian history and emphasizes the identity of the city of Siauliai. The graffiti artworks were created in public spaces in the city of Siauliai, making them an effective visual artistic commemoration of the historical event. Such thematic graffiti artworks in public spaces give meaning and aesthetic value to the urban environment and encourage further creative initiatives to transform public spaces.

The plein air workshops gave artists the opportunity to realize their ideas in the field of non-traditional public space art, to spread the ideas of contemporary public space art to the city community, and to diversify and raise the overall cultural level of the city by changing its public spaces.

Having proven itself as an effective artistic idea, the public space project "The Abduction of the Sun" continues in various forms to this day. The city is enriched with colorful public artworks, new local community initiatives are emerging, and business representatives are getting involved. Excellent murals can now be found in the most unexpected places around the city.

Works destroyed by time and construction are being replaced by new colorful compositions. This open gallery pulsates with the rhythm of city life, offering surprises and unexpected artistic experiences for residents and visitors alike. This is what motivates us to continue this dynamic artistic project.