CALL FOR ARTISTS

DIALOGUES

I st International Contemporary Art Triennial
Dedicated to Janina Monkutė-Marks and Kėdainiai

MANIFESTO

Every dialogue begins with trust. Trust in a person. An idea. A place. Art.

Twenty-five years ago, the Janina Monkutė-Marks Museum-Gallery emerged from an extraordinary act of trust. The world-renowned artist Janina Monkutė-Marks entrusted her creative legacy to Kėdainiai – the Town where her life’s journey began. This trust became more than a museum. It became a commitment to continue a live dialogue between art, people, and the world.

From this idea, DIALOGUES is born – an international contemporary art triennial dedicated to Janina Monkutė-Marks and Kėdainiai. DIALOGUES is not an invitation to create about Janina. It is an invitation to create together with her legacy – to respond, question, seek, doubt, and discover.

We believe that art does not have to provide a single answer. Its power lies in its ability to connect different experiences, cultures, and perspectives, to open new questions, and to create meaningful connections. Therefore, each triennial will become a new chapter of conversation. Every artist – a new voice. Every artwork – a new beginning of a dialogue.

We believe that a small town can become a place for grand cultural encounters. We believe that art creates trust. And we believe that every true dialogue has the power to change the world. Welcome to DIALOGUES.

CURATORIAL STATEMENT

Dialogue as a Form of Creativity

Today, when the world seems increasingly fragmented, art remains one of the most universal languages capable of building a connection between people, cultures, and experiences. DIALOGUES was born out of the conviction that contemporary art is not merely an aesthetic object. It is a way of speaking – with oneself, with another person, with a place, with history, and with the time we live in.

Janina Monkutė-Marks’ life was a continuous dialogue. Born in Lithuania, having created in the United States, she combined different artistic languages in her work – painting, printmaking, textiles – and searched for a connection between tradition and modernity. She entrusted her creative legacy to Kėdainiai, leaving behind not just a museum, but a responsibility to continue an open cultural conversation.

DIALOGUES is not an invitation to interpret Janina’s work or replicate it. It is an invitation to create your own artistic stance. We invite artists not to look for similarities, but to create meaningful dialogues – with material, color, form, place, community, memory, or the present. Dialogues can be quiet or provocative, personal or social, local or global. They can raise questions rather than provide answers.

To us, it is not the theme that matters, but the relationship. Not the illustration, but the idea. Not just the artwork, but its ability to initiate a conversation. We believe that Kėdainiai – a town where different cultures and worldviews have met since ancient times – is a meaningful place for such an encounter.

CONDITIONS & INFORMATION

Who can participate?

Professional Lithuanian and international artists. Applications may be submitted by individual artists only.

Welcomed Art Mediums

Textiles, painting, printmaking and drawing, sculpture, object, photography, other.

Collection & Future Exhibitions

Artists are invited to consider donating their work to the museum collection (voluntary).

Artists selected by the international jury will be invited to hold solo exhibitions at the Janina Monkutė-Marks Museum-Gallery.

Artwork Delivery

Selected artists are responsible for arranging and covering all costs related to the delivery and return shipment of their artworks. Artworks must arrive at the Janina Monkutė-Marks Museum-Gallery no later than 15 October 2026.

Important Dates:

Application submission

Until 2026-09-15

Announcement of results

Until 2026-09-20

Delivery of artworks

Until 2026-10-15

Exhibition opening

2026-10-23

Exhibition duration

Until 2027-01-31

Application Submission

Applications are submitted exclusively digitally via the official Google Forms link (provided below). When filling out the form, you will need to attach: completed application, CV, Artist Statement, artwork description, technical specifications, and 3-5 high-quality photos of the artwork.

OFFICIAL APPLICATION LINK:

https://forms.gle/bYGV6RmDN8HqAVjd7

Contacts

Janina Monkute-Marks Museum-Gallery
J. Basanaviciaus st. 45, LT-57182 Kedainiai, Lithuania
Email: jmm.muziejus@gmail.com
Website: https://kedainiumuziejus.lt/