The exhibition "Shalom, Israel. The Paths of Litvak Artists", presenting 24 Litvak artists and 37 pieces of art that unveil the two-way development of Jewish art was opened on the 16th of December at the Tolerance Center of the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum.

The exhibition illustrates the influence Litvak art had on the art of Israel and the way nature and traditional folk art in Israel changed the artistic expression of Litvak artists. Visitors will have the possibility to admire the works of Marc Chagall, Max Band, Boris Schatz, Emmanuel Mane-Katz, Pinchus Abramovich and the other artists. These art works belong to the collections of the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum, Lewben Art Foundation, Lithuanian Expatriate Art Foundation, law firm Valiunas Ellex and other private art collectors. Most of these works have not yet been exhibited in Lithuania before.

Martynas Levickis performed during the opening event

Curator of the exhibition "Shalom, Israel!" Dr. Vilma Gradinskaitė
The guests of the opening were awarded with an opportunity to listen to the short performance of one young virtuoso Lithuanian accordionist Martynas Levickis. He performed music pieces by Niccolo Paganini, Gioachino Rossini and Antonio Vivaldi. Dr. Kamilė Rupeikaitė, Deputy Director of The Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum, Head of Law Firm ‚Valiunas Ellex‘ Rolandas Valiūnas, and the Director of Lewben Art Foundation Indrė Tubinienė greeted the guests of The Tolerance Center. As well as the member of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania Emanuelis Zingeris, who marked that Litvak artists carried the name of Lithuania even during the years, then Lithuania was occupied, they were the ambassadors of Lithuania in the world: next to every art work created by the Litvak artists, which was exhibited in the great galleries of the world, their Lithuanian origin was mentioned.
Member of the Parliament of Lithuania Emanuelis Zingeris, Head of the Law Firm „Valiunas Ellex“ Rolandas Valiūnas, Deputy Director of International Relations of the Seimas Rimantas Stankevičius	Artist Raimondas Savickas presented his art work to the exhibition and participated at the opening ceremony

Moments from the opening of the exhibition „Shalom, Israel!“
Exhibition will be displayed till the 13th of March, 2016. © Photos by Paulius Račiūnas