Nov 25, 2016

Introducing: Linas Vaitonis

Linas Vaitonis, 28, is a Lithuanian-born photographer based in Spain. "I like to play with unusual locations, trying to tell a story. In my opinion, the overall feel should be like in a movie, where the atmosphere plays an important role in transmitting the message" He explains. "I'm striving to create a feeling that there is something yet to be revealed to come through in my work."

Name Linas Vaitonis

Age 28.

Birth date 1988 April 5th.

Where are you originally from? Lithuania.

Where do you currently live? Spain.

Preferred art medium Photography.

Hobby or interest aside from art? Technically I’m an ecologist, so I’m relatively interested in nature processes, connections, surrounding world as a unit. I also like to play football.

Guilty pleasures? Junk food. But I’m poised to give up.

howl magazine, new york, art, interview, linas vaitonis, lithuania, photography

Who are some of your favorite artists? Salvador Dali, David Shrigley, Ryan McGinley, Justin Benzel, Alex Turner, Alex Prager, Neil Krug, Julian Hibbard, Terry Richardson, Noah Kalina, Daniel Sannwald, Martin Parr, Juergen Teller.

Favorite movie? Lost in Translation.

Favorite book? Any book written by Haruki Murakami.

Favorite song/album/band/musician? Arctic Monkeys.

What are 3 things you want to achieve? To exhibit on the moon, to grow old, to climb “Everest”.

What is something you deeply love about yourself? That I can surprise myself again and again. Hopefully, I’m being not too much of a jerk.

How has Instagram worked for you as an artist? Actually, I created my Instagram account quite recently, so it’s hard to say. Behance, Facebook and my own personal site did more good for me I guess.

Briefly describe the circumstances under which you grew up.

I was raised in Vilnius, Lithuania. The city is lively, cozy and relaxed. I used to spend summers in my village, which is one of my favorite places to shoot, too. Am I grown up yet? I don’t think so.

How do you think these circumstances influenced your art?

It’s really difficult to say.

What would you say are your artwork’s main themes? I find myself constantly returning to my dreams and fantasies, action, mystery, spectatorship, the beauty of a woman, unusual locations and atmosphere.

“I find myself constantly returning to my dreams and fantasies, action, mystery, spectatorship, the beauty of a woman, unusual locations and atmosphere”

How would you describe your style? I could say that it’s a retro avant-garde in some way.

Can you remember a specific experience from your life that has shaped who you are and what you do as an artist today?

Unfortunately, I don’t remember such an experience.

What are you trying to communicate with your art? It’s my take on the world and my life happening around me. I guess you can’t add anything to it by theorizing about it.

(Certain) Artists tend to have a stereotype attached to them of being dramatic with addictive personalities. What do you feel about this assumption? We are all different and that’s what makes life interesting.

As an artist, do you find yourself drawn to any addictive disorder? Sometimes it’s hard to get away from taking the pictures all the time, so this can mess up with my free time.

Have you had any struggle with mental illness and if so, would you like to share your experience with us? I believe that I didn’t.

Artists paths are normally non-linear. Can you recall for us what your path has been like? I started taking pictures just for fun, but it became more like an obsession. I am self taught. Photography was always a side thing and my intent was (and still is) to examine theory in practice. Photographic culture increasingly penetrated into my life.

What kind of patterns, routines or rituals do you have to keep the creative juices flowing? Even though I don’t need to work from 9 to 5 I try to have this working routine to keep myself focused.

Do you think your ethnicity, gender, and/or personal preferences drove you towards becoming an artist? No, I don’t think so.

If you could change one thing in how the world works, what would it be? I wouldn’t. Sometimes it’s hard to say how the world works anyway.

What is your opinion of the art world as it is right now? Is there anything you'd like to change? I think that the art world is ridiculous, but it’s not a bad thing. Also, it is no more ridiculous than anything else and at least it is true to itself.

“[The art world] is ridiculous,

but it’s not a bad thing.

It is no more ridiculous than anything else

and at least it is true to itself”

How do you think the internet aids/complements the art world? And how do you think it deteriorates it? Of course, the Internet is the greatest innovation of the last 100 years. It would be much more difficulties in making yourself visible as an artist worldwide. I think that it also makes most of the people lazy, because you can search and know immediately before visiting a bookshop or library. I believe that the process of truly knowing still requires more energy and time. Nevertheless, you cannot live without the Internet, at the same time you hate it for taking so much of your time.

What draws you towards your particular art medium?

The unexpected. The need to express myself.

How have you developed your own unique style?

Photography is my playground. I don’t really know how unique my style is, but I’m more than happy for other people to have their own interpretation about it.

What is the main obstacle you have had to overcome as an artist?

The biggest difficulty I encounter is in making sure that the final images are just like I imagined them in my head. The biggest consideration when creating my images is whether I am doing it to satisfy myself, or to appeal to potential clients.