Kazys Varnelis

Kazys Varnelis (1917-2010) was the promoter of the Art Deco aesthetic in Lithuania and one of the country's most influential monumental and professional stained glass painters.
In 1951 he painted his very first abstract picture, and from 1963 concentrated on his own career as an abstract painter.
From 1967 onwards, Varnelis exhibited his optical art compositions in various shows throughout the United States, earning him immediate recognition from the Chicago art scene.
In the field of interior design, he is known for mixing historic furniture with contemporary works of art.
When Lithuania regained its independence in 1990, Varnelis considered returning to his homeland. Varnelis set about transforming the historic 14th-century buildings into an art collector's first private museum, until his death in 2010.
Today, his legacy is an important chapter in the history of modern Lithuanian art, which continues to inspire other contemporary artists.
The Varnelis collection is housed in the Kazys Varnelis House Museum at the National Museum of Lithuania.
In partnership with the Centre Pompidou, Paris, Musée national d'art moderne -Centre de création industrielle and the Maison-musée Kazys Varnelis, National Museum of Lithuania