A new exhibition titled "Artists on the Move" has opened at the Lithuanian Art Centre TARTLE, showcasing rarely seen works and life stories of Lithuanian émigré artists who migrated across continents over nine decades of the 20th century. Curated by art historian Prof. Dr. Rasa Žukienė along with researchers Dr. Ieva Burbaitė and Emilija Vanagaitė, the exhibition traces artistic trajectories from interwar Paris to Freiburg, the United States, France, and South Africa, highlighting how these artists preserved cultural continuity while developing distinctive voices in exile. Notable repatriated works include paintings by Jonas Rimša returned from Argentina in 2008 and sculptures by Matas Menčinskas returned in 2014.
The exhibition matters because it centers on the repatriation of Lithuanian cultural heritage, with many works returning to their homeland through the efforts of TARTLE's founder Rolandas Valiūnas and the Lithuanian diaspora. It reframes migration as a vehicle for cultural transmission rather than loss, presenting art as a responsibility to society and a gift to future generations. The show offers a broader perspective on migration at a time when the topic carries often negative connotations, asserting that émigré art is an integral part of Lithuania's national culture.