An Evening of Cultural Diplomacy, Art, and Memory
At the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania, an event will take place that brings together cultural diplomacy, art, and Europe’s spiritual heritage. The central highlight of the evening will be the presentation of a Ukrainian–English art album featuring the paintings of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, created to mark the 150th anniversary of the artist on the initiative of the Z.O.D.D.I.A.K. Foundation within the framework of the “Culture” program.
M. K. Čiurlionis is one of the key figures of European modernism — a painter and composer whose work unites visual art and music into a single philosophical system that remains relevant today within the context of international cultural dialogue.
The event will take place on December 17, 2025, in Vilnius.
M. K. Čiurlionis’ Cultural Legacy and the Philosophy of the Z.O.D.D.I.A.K. Foundation
The project is implemented within the framework of the “Culture” program, one of the twelve strategic areas of the Foundation’s work, guided by an important mission:
“We strive for culture to become a source of inspiration, social cohesion, and spiritual development, as well as an environment in which new meanings, ideas, and mutual understanding between people are born.”
The creation of the M. K. Čiurlionis paintings album aims not only to modernize the perception of his artistic legacy, but also to return it to an active cultural dialogue between Ukraine and Lithuania. It represents a contribution to the preservation of artistic heritage and the strengthening of international cultural ties.
A distinctive feature of M. K. Čiurlionis’ work is his approach to constructing pictorial cycles in analogy with musical forms — sonatas, fugues, and preludes — which makes his art a unique phenomenon within European culture.
About the Album: Art That Unites
The bilingual edition features a curated selection of the finest reproductions of M. K. Čiurlionis’ paintings, accompanied by texts in Ukrainian and English. The album introduces the artist’s work to a broader international audience and highlights his significance not only for Lithuania, but for Europe’s cultural heritage as a whole.
With the support of the Z.O.D.D.I.A.K. Foundation, the album is being donated to:
- the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania;
- the M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum;
- the Embassy of Ukraine in Lithuania;
- the Embassy of Lithuania in Ukraine, with further distribution to Ukrainian libraries.
In this way, the project supports researchers, students, readers, and cultural institutions for whom Čiurlionis’ legacy remains relevant and meaningful.
Event Program
The evening will open with a musical prologue, featuring excerpts from M. K. Čiurlionis’ compositions accompanied by visual interpretations of his paintings.
During the discussion, the concept of the album will be presented by Vaiva Laukaitė, while the musical program will be performed by pianist Rokas Zubovas, the artist’s great-grandson. His participation lends the event a special symbolic significance, bringing together living family memory with a contemporary cultural interpretation of M. K. Čiurlionis’ legacy.
Z.O.D.D.I.A.K. and Cultural Diplomacy
The presentation is supported by the Z.O.D.D.I.A.K. Foundation, which directs its cultural initiatives toward preserving heritage, strengthening humanitarian presence, and fostering intergovernmental dialogue.
The Foundation views culture as a space where new meanings emerge, trust is built, and opportunities arise for deeper understanding between people and nations.
