{"id":25464,"date":"2026-07-13T15:02:07","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T12:02:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lndm.devmerit.com\/naujienos\/director-general-of-the-lnma-arunas-gelunas-receives-the-knights-cross-of-the-french-national-order-of-the-legion-of-honour\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T15:02:07","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T12:02:07","slug":"director-general-of-the-lnma-arunas-gelunas-receives-the-knights-cross-of-the-french-national-order-of-the-legion-of-honour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lndm.devmerit.com\/en\/news\/director-general-of-the-lnma-arunas-gelunas-receives-the-knights-cross-of-the-french-national-order-of-the-legion-of-honour\/","title":{"rendered":"Director General of the LNMA Ar\u016bnas Gel\u016bnas receives the Knight\u2019s Cross of the French National Order of the Legion of Honour"},"content":{"rendered":"

On 13th July,\u00a0Dr Ar\u016bnas Gel\u016bnas,\u00a0Director General of the Lithuanian National Museum of Art,\u00a0was awarded\u00a0the\u00a0Knight\u2019s Cross of\u00a0the French\u00a0National Order of the Legion of Honour.\u00a0Founded\u00a0in 1802 by\u00a0the Emperor\u00a0Napoleon,\u00a0it\u00a0is\u00a0the highest\u00a0state decoration of the French Republic.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The\u00a0accolade was presented by the\u00a0French Ambassador to Lithuania\u00a0Lucie Stepanyan\u00a0during\u00a0the ceremony held at the\u00a0LNMA\u00a0National Gallery of\u00a0Art\u00a0in Vilnius.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018<\/span>This award from the French Republic is not only a personal recognition for me \u2013 I accept it as an acknowledgment of the work of our entire Lithuanian National Museum of Art community, the cultural partnership between Lithuania and France, and the belief that art is a universal language of diplomacy<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0French culture has been part\u00a0of my life since\u00a0childhood, and today I\u00a0take\u00a0pride\u00a0in\u00a0the projects where\u00a0our museum\u00a0collaborates with\u00a0the\u00a0foremost French partners\u00a0in\u00a0building bridges between people and states.\u00a0This award\u00a0also\u00a0underscores\u00a0to me\u00a0that we are united not only by the love of art, but\u00a0also\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0common\u00a0values of respect to human dignity,\u00a0freedom\u00a0and culture,\u2019\u00a0the Director General of the LNMA Dr Ar\u016bnas\u00a0Gel\u016bnas\u00a0said in his statement.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

E. Bla\u017eio \/ LRT photo<\/p><\/div>\n

Building\u00a0a bridge\u00a0for\u00a0Lithuanian culture into France\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During the Season of Lithuanian in France, the LNMA\u00a0collaborated\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0French institutions\u00a0to\u00a0present four\u00a0art\u00a0exhibitions, thus\u00a0becoming\u00a0one of\u00a0the flagships\u00a0of this\u00a0cultural and diplomatic initiative.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>The Ambassadors<\/span><\/i>, a\u00a0major\u00a0group\u00a0show\u00a0designed to\u00a0reflect\u00a0the\u00a0multiplicity of\u00a0contemporary Lithuanian art,\u00a0was hosted\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0Fondation\u00a0Fiminco\u00a0in\u00a0Romainville.\u00a0It\u00a0introduced\u00a0the collection of the LNMA\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0artists\u00a0spanning\u00a0different generations.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Carr\u00e9\u00a0d’Art, Contemporary Art Museum of\u00a0Nimes,\u00a0showcased\u00a0an exhibition\u00a0<\/span>Aleksandra Kasuba.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span>Imagining the Future,<\/span><\/i>\u00a0the first major\u00a0event\u00a0in France\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0Lithuanian-American\u00a0artist,\u00a0centred on\u00a0her\u00a0pioneering\u00a0multidisciplinary practice\u00a0embracing\u00a0design,\u00a0architecture\u00a0and experimental\u00a0art.\u00a0\u00a0The same venue\u00a0presented\u00a0the\u00a0contemporary Lithuanian artist\u00a0Marija\u00a0Ol\u0161auskait\u0117\u00a0with\u00a0her\u00a0exhibition\u00a0<\/span>The Softest Hard<\/span><\/i>,\u00a0a\u00a0poetic\u00a0oscillation between the traditions of craft and ornament and the social role of sculpture.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tell\u00a0Them of\u00a0Amber,\u00a0Metal, and\u00a0Life:\u00a0Contemporary\u00a0Lithuanian\u00a0Jewellery 1990-2023<\/span><\/i>\u202fat\u00a0the Musee du Bijou Contemporain in\u00a0Cagnes-sur-Mer\u00a0featured\u00a0twelve\u00a0artists\u00a0spanning different generations\u00a0presenting\u00a0the\u00a0artwork\u00a0that evoke\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0narrative\u00a0of the\u00a0Lithuanian identity\u00a0and its\u00a0cultural transformations over the past three decades.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These exhibitions not only\u00a0presented a broad spectrum of Lithuanian art to the French public:\u00a0they\u00a0took\u00a0the collaboration between the Lithuanian and French museums\u00a0to\u00a0a\u00a0new stage\u00a0of\u00a0a growing\u00a0mutual trust and long-term partnerships.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

E. Bla\u017eio \/ LRT photo<\/p><\/div>\n

French culture in Lithuania\u00a0\u2013\u00a0the\u00a0implemented projects and\u00a0future plans<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This cultural traffic flows in both directions, as\u00a0evidenced\u00a0by\u00a0recent\u00a0exhibitions in Lithuania.\u00a0The\u00a0<\/span>Litvak Artists in Paris<\/span><\/i>\u00a0hosted\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0Vytautas\u00a0Kasiulis\u00a0Museum of Art\u00a0in 2023,\u00a0was the first\u00a0in the Baltics\u00a0comprehensive\u00a0retrospective celebrating\u00a0the art by\u00a0the\u00a0Litvak artists\u00a0of\u00a0\u00c9cole de\u202fParis.\u00a0The lenders\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0event of\u00a0international\u00a0significance\u00a0were\u00a0the Pompidou National Centre for Art and Culture and the Museum of the Art and History of Judaism\u00a0(MahJ),\u00a0as well as\u00a0a number of\u00a0Lithuanian museums and private collectors.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0major\u00a0exhibition\u00a0<\/span>Chagall. Picasso. Ernst. Ceramics and Tapestry\u00a0<\/span><\/i>staged\u00a0at the Museum of Applied Arts\u00a0and Design\u00a0in 2024,\u00a0offered the\u00a0Lithuanian public a life-time opportunity to\u00a0appreciate\u00a0the\u00a0rare\u00a0original\u00a0artwork by\u00a0the classics\u00a0of\u00a020th-century\u00a0Modernism.\u00a0The exhibition was expanded by the\u00a0creative\u00a0legacy\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0master weaver of\u00a0modern\u00a0tapestry\u00a0Yvette Cauquil-Prince,\u202fand an\u00a0exhibition\u00a0<\/span>Reconnection with Origins<\/span><\/i>\u00a0by her son,\u00a0Darius Hecq-Cauquil.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0exhibition\u00a0<\/span>In Memory of Reborn Pain\u00a0(2025)<\/span><\/i>\u00a0created\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0foremost French contemporary\u00a0artist\u00a0Tania Mouraud\u00a0expressly for\u00a0the Vytautas\u00a0Kasiulis\u00a0Museum of Art\u00a0in Vilnius,\u00a0became an\u00a0act\u00a0that transformed\u00a0the cultural Litvak heritage,\u00a0the\u00a0poetry\u00a0texts\u00a0from the Vilnius Ghetto,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0memory\u00a0of the Yiddish\u00a0language\u00a0into\u00a0an\u00a0emphatic dialogue between\u00a0the history of\u00a0Lithuania and French culture.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The partnership between the Lithuanian National Museum of Art and the French cultural institutions\u00a0is\u00a0gaining impetus.\u00a0A\u00a0new exhibition\u00a0in collaboration\u00a0with the famous Centre Pompidou\u00a0is\u00a0expected\u00a0to\u00a0open\u00a0in a couple of years\u00a0from now. Another\u00a0upcoming\u00a0project\u00a0evolves\u00a0in\u00a0partnership\u00a0with\u00a0Prof. Nicolas Garnier<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/i>curator of the\u00a0Mus\u00e9e\u00a0du quai Branly \u2013 Jacques Chirac.\u00a0It will present a\u00a0selection\u00a0of\u00a0Papua New Guinea sculpture\u00a0from\u00a0the collections of the LNMA.\u00a0\u2018Such projects\u00a0demonstrate that\u00a0culture\u00a0is\u00a0the most\u00a0potent\u00a0language of diplomacy:\u00a0it\u00a0builds\u00a0trust,\u00a0enduring\u00a0friendships\u00a0and a common vision for the future,\u2019\u00a0Ar\u016bnas\u00a0Gel\u016bnas\u00a0said in his\u00a0gratitude address.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

International recognition for cultural diplomacy\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ar\u016bnas\u00a0Gel\u016bnas\u00a0has been\u00a0at the\u00a0helm\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0Lithuanian National Museum of Art since 2019.\u00a0Over this period,\u00a0his official national and international\u00a0accolades\u00a0include\u00a0the\u00a0Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star;\u00a0the\u00a0Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit to Lithuania (2023); and\u00a0the\u00a0Ukrainian Order of Merit, III degree, as decreed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.\u00a0Most recently,\u00a0the\u00a0Knight\u2019s Cross of the French National Order of the Legion of Honour was added to his list of international credits.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Prior to\u00a0starting to lead\u00a0the Lithuanian National Museum of Art,\u00a0Ar\u016bnas\u00a0Gel\u016bnas\u00a0received\u00a0the Order of Orange-Nassau from the Kingdom of the\u00a0Netherlands, awarded for his role in organizing the 2008 visit of Queen Beatrix to the Vilnius Academy of Arts;\u00a0the Medal for Merit to Culture from the Polish Ministry of Culture, in recognition of his efforts in organizing the centenary celebration of the birth of Lithuanian-born Nobel laureate Czes\u0142aw Mi\u0142osz, and\u00a0the\u00a0Commemorative\u00a0Honorary\u00a0Badge of the President of the Republic of Lithuania, awarded\u00a0for\u00a0his\u00a0planning and\u00a0implementation\u00a0of the cultural programmes\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0Lithuanian\u00a0Presidency\u00a0of the\u00a0Council of the\u00a0European Union in 2013.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On 13th July,\u00a0Dr Ar\u016bnas Gel\u016bnas,\u00a0Director General of the Lithuanian National Museum of Art,\u00a0was awarded\u00a0the\u00a0Knight\u2019s Cross of\u00a0the French\u00a0National Order of the Legion of Honour.\u00a0Founded\u00a0in 1802 by\u00a0the Emperor\u00a0Napoleon,\u00a0it\u00a0is\u00a0the highest\u00a0state decoration of the French Republic.\u00a0\u00a0 The\u00a0accolade was presented by the\u00a0French Ambassador to Lithuania\u00a0Lucie Stepanyan\u00a0during\u00a0the ceremony held at the\u00a0LNMA\u00a0National Gallery of\u00a0Art\u00a0in Vilnius.\u00a0\u00a0 \u2018This award from the French Republic is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25460,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[197],"tags":[],"department":[69],"class_list":["post-25464","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pranesimas","department-lithuanian-national-museum-of-art"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lndm.devmerit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25464","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lndm.devmerit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lndm.devmerit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lndm.devmerit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lndm.devmerit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25464"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lndm.devmerit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25464\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lndm.devmerit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25460"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lndm.devmerit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25464"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lndm.devmerit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25464"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lndm.devmerit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25464"},{"taxonomy":"department","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lndm.devmerit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/department?post=25464"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}