Interview
Luana Stebule
Luana is an artist and poet born in Lithuania, in 1962. Since 2013, she has been living and creating in the United Kingdom.
Having participated in nearly 60 exhibitions, and as well as written and published 4 poetry books, Luana’s work has touched the lives of people the world over. Her artworks make use of mixed media to create a kind of visual jazz performance. This, in combination with various traditional methods, leads the viewer into an almost surrealist and pointillist style that Luana captures.
In 2019, the International Art Market Magazine selected Luana to be on the Gold List, as one of the Top Artists of Today. Her artwork has also been selected for the Art Anthologies ‘Important World Artist 2020’ and ‘International Contemporary Masters 2021’, with the publisher being Artavita US. In 2020, she was awarded the 3rd Leonardo Da Vinci Prize and the New York City Prize. Luana’s artworks appear in the books ‘The Great Masters of Contemporary Art 2020’ and the ‘Best 2021 Modern and Contemporary Artists’. She has also been awarded the ‘Dante Alighieri International Prize’ in 2021. Recently in the US, she was awarded with the ATIM’s Top 60 Masters Award - in America this award has the nickname of being the Oscar of Visual Art.
Luana’s latest book ‘Ephemeral Awaking’, includes 30 images of her artworks, and is available on Amazon.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“My journey into the art world started at the age of 7, when I was gifted a 48 color pen set as a Christmas present. Growing up in Lithuania, I later went to A. Martinaitis Art School and Academy of Art. For many years I was working in the Kaunas Musical Theatre as an artist. I created about 20 stage projects for the theatrical performances, mural paintings, together with 24 solo and 37 shared exhibitions in Europe, England and the United States.
In the last few years I have been exhibiting online. With Art Screen TV at this moment I am exhibiting my artworks on ARTSY. In 2021, I had exhibitions in Florence, Zurich and Miami. In 2020, my artworks were exhibited in Rome, Prague and Barcelona. In 2019 it was Miami, Zurich and Lisbon. In 2018, I exhibited my artworks at the New York ArtExpo. I have also had a solo exhibition in London.”
What inspires you most?
“My artworks are poems on canvas. From visual objects I create stories. I think that some of the important inspiration comes from the idea of infinity, God and immortality. But sometimes my inspirations come from outside. A few years ago I discovered amazing buildings around the world, especially a few houses in the shape of shoes, as well as rare types of orchids.
During the pandemic period I discovered a new way to express myself. My thoughts about humanity, family and connections with each other, appear on the canvas with a new concept. By never ending ‘mobius’ style lines I have created human bodies, faces and profiles. My work usually forms double meanings - different people can see different things. Creative thought is then applied to provide a provocative, inspirational atmosphere.”
Do you plan your work in advance, or is it improvisation?
“The idea behind my artwork is very important. Usually composition appears in my head. At this moment, I can paint up to 50 artworks with watercolors on paper, just fixing my ideas. Later, I will develop the idea on canvas with oil paint. The result makes me pleased to discover something new that I haven't seen in the art world.”
How would you describe your work?
“Some of my artworks have elements of surrealism, others are abstractions. In order to achieve particular expressions and to show the inner and outer spirit of the object, I stylize forms of nature by simplifying in my own unique way.”
What process, materials, techniques, etc., do you use to create your artwork?
“For many years my favorite technique was collage. On the same surface I would add different materials: wood, mirrors, textile, sawdust and leather. Layer by layer, these imbued the richness of the final physical body of the artwork, veritably juxtaposing it with a jazz of visual performance.
My current artwork is now more traditional - oil on canvas. At this moment, I have created about 50 new artworks with mixed technique, including watercolors, oil pastels and acrylic.
Which current art world trends are you following?
“I am not following any art world trends. I think that in my current artworks I discovered something new and interesting for the art world. The majority of art curators are commercially minded and encourage artists to concentrate on the art techniques reproducing hundreds of similar artworks for sale. But it is not real art. That is why I have a slightly different attitude: ‘where the spirit does not work with hand, there is no art’ - Leonardo Da Vinci. I strongly relate to this phrase.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I have actually just opened my online solo exhibition in the Artavita Art Gallery. You can see it here.
In 2018 I participated in New York Art Expo. That same year, I had a solo exhibition in London. In 2019, I exhibited my artworks in Lisbon, at the Colorida Art Gallery. In 2020 I participated in the Woman's Essence Show in Rome, Italy. You can also see more about my solo exhibition in the Ukio Bank, Kaunas, Lithuania 2003 at this link. Currently, I am participating in 3 online exhibitions. The first is an exhibition called ‘Butterfly Effect’ by the Contemporary Art Curator magazine. The second exhibition is on ARTSY, with Art Screen TV, and the third is with ARTBOXPROJECT in Urbanside Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland.
Every day I receive hundreds email with marvelous suggestions to exhibit my artworks in prestigious galleries around the world. But is very expensive. In London, for example, a solo exhibition in a good gallery costs £4000. In New York it is around $2500, but shipping cost about $1500. Similar prices are found in Barcelona and Rome. I hope one sunny day I will sell my artworks for hundreds of thousands of pounds and catch up with all prestigious exhibitions.”
A few sentences and an interesting point of view by art critic and curator Salvatore Russo. “We understand the great complexity of Luana Stebule's art trough the visual labyrinths that the artist creates. Her painting is a learned and extremely effective painting. Her works are comparable to the tablets of the law, and thus profess their truths; truth that, thanks to the perspective geometry, are able to seduce the bystander who can't help but observe the landscapes of light painted by the artist, all this rigorous silence and with great devotion.”
