“Now we are still on the road. Archangel Michael is done. A place to land is waiting,” sculptor Gediminas Radzevičius, the initiator and organizer of the project, told “Sostine”.
About a year ago, G. Radzevičius accepted an invitation to taste borscht at a Ukrainian artist sheltered in Vilnius. Spoon by spoon, word by word – and acquaintance turned into friendship.
In the morning, the new friend asked him to help a sculptor he knew from Ukraine: during the war, he was located in the Oronsk Art Center near Warsaw, but he had to move out of the premises.
Helped to come to Vilnius
G. Radzevičius helped 74-year-old A. Iljinski move to Vilnius, where his wife was already working as a book restorer and graphic artist, and brought his sculptures created in Poland.
After seeing the 3-meter-high sculpture built by A. Ilyinsko in Oronsk, he said to Archangel Michael, the guardian of Kiev: “Build an even bigger one in Vilnius.” And after that also in Kiev.”
“The sculptures of the Archangel Michael arranged in a triangle over the Grand Duchy of Lithuania can create a powerful energy field,” G. Radzevičius enthusiastically introduced the idea.
It was successful in Vilnius. G. Radzevičius rented a workshop in the former ceramics factory in Dvarčionys. Soon, it was possible to interest the European park in this idea as well. His manager Gintaras Karos paid for the clay.
Consists of 35 parts
For five months, A. Iljinskis sculpted and fired a 4-meter-high sculpture from clay, assembled from 35 parts. It weighs about 800 kilograms. The archangel holds a shield in one hand and a sword in the other, standing on a plinth.
“He is a military commander before God. He leads an army of angels. This is the most important soldier in the sky,” A. Iljinskis explained his idea. The faces of the Ukrainian people are depicted on the plinth. The artist said he wanted to show people who are currently at war in Ukraine.
On the other side of the sculpture, on the cloak of Archangel Michael, there is a complex composition. Especially interesting is the rider, in which two characters are combined – the Lithuanian Vytis and the Ukrainian soldier.
A. Iljinskis claims that he did not think about the fee while working, but hoped to live peacefully for at least a year with the money received for his work.
He signed the contract without reading it
However, after the sculpture was finished, the European Park refused to purchase it – the work turned out to be too large and too expensive.
The problem is that A. Iljinskis signed the contract with the European park without even reading it, because the text was in Lithuanian.
“There is not a single word about a fee in the contract. He just orders, and I promise to do it. No one forced me – I signed it myself”, A. Iljinskis regretted.
“We didn’t discuss the fee, but I was sure: of course, something would be paid.” Perhaps G. Karos, who concluded that contract, applied to the Ministry of Culture, where some programs are financed.
Especially since Ukraine is included. And an archangel. Maybe this helps him to get the appropriate amount of money?” – wondered G. Radzevičius.
The sculpture is too big
The manager of the European Park, G. Karos, explained to “Sostine” that it was considered to build a sculpture of A. Iljinskis in a half smaller scale in the European Park.
“The museum does not have the financial means to purchase a sculpture of the size that is created now.
During the war in Ukraine, when the flow of foreign tourists has decreased, it is especially difficult to maintain the European park, not to mention the construction of new expensive works”, said G. Karos.
The Lithuanian Council of Culture announced that the participation of an artist from Ukraine is foreseen in the European Park project, which they financed. 15,000 was allocated to the project “Development of the Professional Art and Culture Field in the European Park”. 800 euros.
It will not stop in the Old Town
G.Radzevičius also discussed with the office of the Vilnius archdiocese’s treasurer so that the Archangel Michael would be erected near the Church of St. Archangel Michael in the Old Town, where the Museum of Church Heritage is located.
Mykolas Juozapavičius, head of the Economist Service, told “Sostine” that after considering all options, it was decided to abandon this sculpture.
“The idea itself is good, but the sculpture might be too big for that yard.
I have no doubt that talking to the Vilnius City Municipality would definitely find another place for this sculpture,” said M. Juozapavičius.
Now they are trying to offer the work to the Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary in Žvēryn.
Began to teach ceramics
G. Radzevičius assured “Sostin” that A. Iljinskis was not left without a fee.
“The process is ongoing, although Andriuša is panicking. I reassured him: “This is Lithuania, every priest has his own rhythm.”
Archangel Michael has already taken care of him – he has already started receiving that royalty. A. Iljinskis was invited to teach ceramics at the school-multifunctional center in Tabariškių (Šalčininkų district). There he gets paid and has pottery kilns.
If the sculpture cannot be erected in Vilnius, A. Iljinskis intends to take it to Kiev, where he has connections and hopes that they will be enough to erect Archangel Michael.”
Tags: #4meter Archangel Michael created Ukrainian find place Vilnius
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