ICON
George Maciunas
1958
It is a little known fact that before becoming The Pope of Fluxus, George Maciunas had created around fifty icons. This can be explained in part by the fact that George was partly of Russian heritage. Today, there are only one or two surviving icons.
One of them is in the safekeeping of his nephew, Protestant Pastor Andrius Valaitis. George Maciunas created the icon in the 1950s and presented it as a gift to his sister, Nijolė, Andrius’ mother. The Icon was created as a self-made object to be used for religious purposes, although it cannot be said that it does not possess a protoflux spirit. Later, this Icon was given to A. Valaitis, who brought it to Klaipėda in Lithuania.
Andrius graciously agreed to loan the work to the Jonas Mekas Visual Arts Center. It can be said that this is its world premiere since the Icon has never been pubicly displayed before now.
The Icon is being presented at Art Vilnius as an exceptional object that has absorbed multifunctional energy.
On loan from Andrius Valaitis to the Jonas Mekas Visual Arts Center, Malūnų g. 8, Vilnius, Lithuania.