Psalms, an exhibition of paintings by the famous Polish painter, graphic artist, sculptor, poet, writer and scenographer, Andrzej Strumiłło, was commenced in the Tolerance Center of the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum on October 28, 2016.

Painter Andrzej Strumiłło near his Psalms series	Greeting word by Markas Zingeris, Director of the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum

The artist, who celebrated his 89^th birthday on the 23^rd of October, took part in the opening ceremony and was accompanied by Alina Chmielewska, representative of the gallery Centrum Sztuki Współczesnej. Greeting speeches were delivered by the Director of the Museum, Markas Zingeris, and the Director of the Polish Institute in Vilnius, Marcin Łapczyński.

Psalms, which contain 18 paintings, were created in 1988-2010. They are dedicated to the restored White synagogue of Sejny as well as to the Jews who lived in the Lithuanian-Polish peripheral shtetls. The series of paintings was inspired by the Book of Psalms, translated from Hebrew to Polish in 1979 by Czeslaw Milosz.

Andrzej Strumiłło, who is a recipient of the Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis, considers himself a citizen of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 2009 he compiled the Book of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania: towards the traditions of the European community.

Greeting word by Marcin Łapczyński, Director of the Polish Institute in Vilnius

Andrzej Strumiłło tells the story of how the Psalms series was born

Marcin Łapczyński, Director of the Polish Institute in Vilnius (on the right side)
is talking to Aleksandra Jacovskytė, Art Director and the initiator of the exhibition (left).

The Psalms exhibition will be open to public at the Tolerance Center until January 27, 2017.

Curator of the exhibition – Ieva Šadzevičienė
Art Director of the exhibition – Aleksandra Jacovskytė
Organizer – Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum
Partners – Polish Institute in Vilnius
Photography supplied courtesy Paulius Račiūnas