“Vilnius my love” – outdoor photography exhibition by Jerzy Karpowicz

On Konstantinas Sirvydas Square in Vilnius you can see an exhibition of photographs by the prominent Vilnius photographer Jerzy Karpowicz, entitled “Vilnius my love”.

Jerzy Antoni Karpowicz, born in 1942 in the village of Okmianka near Vilnius, is called the chronicler of the life of Poles in Lithuania. With chronicling zeal and passion, he still documents cultural events in the Vilnius region.

“Jerzy Karpowicz, a photographer, truly deserved the title of chronicler of Polishness in Lithuania. It is difficult to find Polish events, or cultural events in Vilnius or other places in Lithuania, which would not have been recorded by this outstanding artist” – emphasises the Association of Educational Projects, which has prepared the exhibition.

Jerzy Karpowicz’s photographs, which can be seen at the exhibition, depict Vilnius. “The one you know, and the one that is no longer there. Architecture in the works of Mr Jerzy Karpowicz almost comes to life. What especially attracts you to the photographs are their amazing colours, for which the artist had to wait for months” – the exhibition organisers point out. And they quote the words of photographer Jerzy Karpowicz: “When I’m dealing with architecture, landscape […] I will make sure I have the right moment of lighting. Sometimes I can wait for it even for a year, because I know that, for example, I will see the interior of a given church in all its glory only when the spring rays of sunlight illuminate it at midday…”.

Jerzy Karpowicz has been photographing since the beginning of the 1950s, he has been involved in art photography since 1977. He is a member of the Lithuanian Association of Photographers. A special place in his work is occupied by documentary and reportage photography, mostly devoted to the Vilnius region.

He is the author and co-author of many photographic exhibitions, both individual and collective – in Lithuania and abroad. His photographs have been exhibited, among others, in Belarus, Estonia, Japan, Latvia, Germany, Poland, Russia and Lithuania. His works include a number of thematic exhibitions dedicated to the Vilnius Region, such as “Memorials to those who died for the freedom of the Vilnius Region”, “Before you fell, you still crossed the earth with your hand”, “Old Vilnius”, “Šalčininkai Region: history, land, people”.

In his photographs, the photographer documented memorable moments of meetings of Vilnius residents with Pope John Paul II, who visited Lithuania on his pilgrimage in September 1993.

He publishes his photographs in many magazines, including Polish in Lithuania: “Kurier Wileński”, “Magazyn Wileński”, “Nasza Gazeta”, “Spotkania”, “Tygodnik Wileńszczyzny”, in the almanac “Fotografia Litewska”, published by the Union of Lithuanian Photographers, as well as on the web portal wilnoteka.lt and on our website l24.lt.

His photographs have appeared in many albums, including “Vilnius”, “Druskininkai”, “Song Festival”, “The Most Beautiful Churches of Vilnius”, “Šalčininkai Land”, “Sacral Heritage of the Vilnius Region”. Karpowicz is also a true chronicler of the Kresy (Borderlands) Festivals in Mrągowo, and has repeatedly recorded the traditional Kaziuki-Vilnius Festival in the Land of Warmia and Mazury in his photographs.

Jerzy Karpowicz was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland in 2014 for his outstanding merits in popularising Polish culture and for his achievements in artistic activity.

Jerzy Karpowicz’s exhibition entitled “Vilnius my love” is part of the project “Poles in free Lithuania”, co-financed by the Chancellery of the Prime Minister as part of the programme to help Poles and Poles abroad.