Gatherings of Jewish Artists in Interwar Lithuania

Abstract

Summary The main subject of this paper is the Jewish artists of interwar Lithuania and their efforts to unite. It analyses the aspirations of Jewish artists to unite into groups, to represent and present their art, and to maintain their national identity. The article introduces the main organisers, participants, circumstances and goals of the artists’ gatherings. It discusses three cases: the cultural policy pursued by National Jewish Council’s Section of Culture at the institutional level; Jewish artists who gathered on a social basis; and the Art Gallery of Neemiya Arbit Blatas as a unique exhibition space in inter-war Lithuania, which mainly exhibited the works of Jewish artists. The paper focuses not on the artistic legacy or its value, but rather on the processes of cultural life of Jewish artists in interwar Lithuania.