Etnokosmologija: Celestial Symbols at Gallery LYCEUM
As many of you know from my post “Etnokosmologija – The Fusion of Baltic Heritage and the Cosmos”, this project grew from years of research into ancient Baltic symbols and their connections to our modern understanding of the universe. Each painting in the series overlays celestial bodies with sacred signs once used to express harmony between human life, nature and the cosmos.
I am delighted to share that this body of work has been presented at Gallery LYCEUM in Klaipėda (Danės g. 9). The exhibition opens on 23 October 2025 at 5:30 p.m. and runs through 14 November. Visitors are invited to explore the eight large canvases I created: The Sun, The Moon, The Earth, The Milky Way, The Universe, The Morning Star, Stars, Constellations and Planets and Binary Light. Gallery hours are 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Tuesday to Friday and 11 a.m.–4 p.m. on Saturdays; the gallery is closed on Sundays and Mondays
A bridge between worlds
Latvian-born and now London-based, I continue to explore the living wisdom of Baltic peoples encoded in folk songs, mythology, folklore and ornamentation. In these works I saw common patterns that unite Lithuanian and Latvian cultural memory, archaic symbols, ideals and archetypes that have shaped our modern identities. Through Etnokosmologija I wanted to build bridges: canvases that connect the boundless universe with the cultural heritage of our region.
The series’ dual mission, to unite a scientific view of the cosmos with spiritual Baltic iconography, also guides the exhibition. Each painting is both a cosmological snapshot and a meditation on the rhythm of life. The Sun radiates fertility and renewal, merging ancient rosette patterns with modern light; The Moon reflects the cycle of time and human emotion with silver tones and subtle symbolism. The Earth reveals our planet as cradle and crossroads of energy, while The Milky Way maps the luminous river that guided travellers and storytellers. The Universe expands into sacred geometry and the infinite unknown, and The Morning Star (inspired by Venus) celebrates transition and love. Stars, Constellations and Planets weave ancestral signs into modern cosmography, and Binary Light becomes a cosmic dance of duality, light and shadow, life and void.
Opening night and collaborators
The exhibition’s opening evening featured a performance on the Baltic zither (kanklės) by musician Agota Zdanavičiūtė, bringing an auditory dimension to the visual journey. I am grateful to Agota Bričkute, the art currator who curated this show, to Gallery LYCEUM for organising it, and to VšĮ “Klaipėdos licėjus” for its patronage. This presentation is partly funded by the Klaipėda City Municipality, the same scholarship that enabled me to create the works.
Gallery Lyceum Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/events/755490530741201
An invitation to explore
Whether you walked through the gallery on opening night or are discovering this online later, I hope this exhibition serves as both an invitation and a reflection. It invites you to perceive the cosmos not only as a vast physical space but as a living archive of human memory. It reflects on how the language of ancient symbols and the movement of stars share the same rhythm, a continuity that binds past and present, science and mythology, Latvia and Lithuania.
For a deeper exploration of the project itself, please read my earlier blog post here
Funded by the Klaipėda City Municipality Cultural Scholarship for Ethnocultural Art (2025).
