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“Export Permitted”: Vilnius by Rafael Chwoles

On 13 June 2012, the exhibition “Export Permitted”: Vilnius by Rafael Chwoles of works by the Vilnius-born Litvak painter Rafael Chwoles (1913–2002) was launched at the Tolerance Centre of the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum. The pictures were brought to Vilnius on the initiative of the Museum, the Lithuanian Embassy to France and the French Institute in Lithuania.  

Thanks to the efforts of the painter’s sons Alexander and Milij Chwoles who are in charge of their father’s works a valuable collection was brought from Paris; most of  the paintings were created between 1945 and 1959. During the press conference before launching the exhibition the painter’s sons expressed hope that a museum bearing their father’s name would be opened in Vilnius.  According to Milij Chwoles, the painter’s family is ready to donate all their father’s heritage to the future museum.

Before the war, Chwoles studied painting with Marijanas Kuliešas, Aleksandras Šturmanas and Mošė Leibovskis; he was an active member of the Jewish literary and art society Jung Vilne and in the work of the Vilnius Jewish Painters Union. Artists influenced the traditions of the Vilnius drawing school with its tendency towards French Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. Museums in Lithuania, Poland and Israel, the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, and private collectors in Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia and Israel posses Chwoles’ works. The painter received many awards, among which are the award of the Europe Academy of Figurative Arts (1981) and an award of the city of Paris on the occasion of fifty years of his creative work (1983).

 


R. Chwoles

The physical, social and spiritual reality of Vilnius that is the focus of the painter’s artistic world did not fit the mythologema of the Soviet capital city that was promoted at that time and the painter took his family to Poland in 1959 and, in 1969, to France.  Eventually, he settled in Paris. Leaving Soviet Lithuania for the West, Chwoles took away his works. Many pictures still bear the stamp “Export permitted” of the Culture Ministry of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic.

Director of the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum Markas Zingeris

During the opening of the exhibition, Markas Zingeris, the museum director, expressed his gratitude to the Chwoles family for their generosity. Arūnas Gelūnas, minister for culture, stressed the importance of Chwoles’ work for Lithuania. The French cultural attaché of the Embassy of France in Lithuania, Audelin Chappuis, promised that the Embassy and the French Institute will support the return of the Chwoles’ collection to Lithuania.
The painter’s elder son, Alexander, spoke warmly about Father: “Once, when I was still a little boy, looking at Father’s pictures of Vilnius not only with Jewish motifs, but also of churches, little streets and lanes, small courtyards and Gediminas Castle I asked Father, “what do you think, maybe one day there will be a street in Vilnius bearing your name?” He said:”Do you see this picture of a small Vilnius street? Look at what is written in the right corner – Chwoles. Vilnius is already full of small streets bearing the name of Chwoles!

Brothers Milij and Alexandre Chwoles

Visitors to the exhibition have a rare chance to open the doors of the painter’s studio and see the course of his works reflected on canvas, sketches, ceramic works and photographs of Vilnius.  Thanks to the unique images immortalised by Rafael Chwoles we can look around the commemorative sites in the Old Town, see what contribution he made as a city chronicler beside Jan Bulhak, Juozas Kamarauskas, Vladas Drėma and other fans of Vilnius.

Markas Zingeris, Milij Chwoles, Curator of the exhibition Gajane Leonenko, Alexandre Chwoles, Cultural attaché of the Embassy of France Audelin Chappuis

 

Opening of the exhibition

Exhibition “Export Permitted”: Vilnius by Rafael Chwoles

Exhibition “Export Permitted”: Vilnius by Rafael Chwoles at the Tolerance centre of the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum (Naugarduko g.10/2, Vilnius) will be on until 21 September 2012.

Modified: 6/19/2012
Information
2017.03.01

 

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If you want to order an educational programme, please contact us at:  +370 5 212 0112,
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Tuesday, Wednesday: 10:00-18:00
Friday: 10:00-16:00
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From October until May the Memorial Museum is open by appointment only.

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© Penki Kontinentai 2006. All rights received.