Mindaugas Kavaliauskas (b. 1974) is photographer, curator of photography, cultural manager; founder and director KAUNAS PHOTO festival (since 2004), largest annual photo art event in the Baltic countries (yearly, since 2004); founder and curator of F Galerija (Kaunas, Lithuania, 2004-2012). He is invited jury panel member, invited curator within international photo festivals, photography competitions, awards, such as Rencontres d’Arles (France), Fotofest (Houston), Photo Espana (Madrid), etc. He is recipient of numerous national and international awards, scholarships, honor titles for achievements in photography; member of the Union of Art Photographers of Lithuania (1993-) and board member (2005-2009). He is author numerous of articles on art issues in Lithuanian magazines focusing on photography or urban culture.
Besides all these activities, Mindaugas Kavaliauskas continues the practice of a photographer and exhibits in Lithuania, Europe and beyond its borders. His photographic work has been published in 3 monographic books and on a number of on-line platforms, such as NYTimes LENS, Die Zeit, Il Post, VOGUE Italia, FP Mag, The Eye of Photography, LIFE FORCE, OstSee and others.
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Selected solo exhibitions:
Kaunas Photography Gallery (Lithuania, 2021)
“Kvadratu” festival (Tauragė, Lithuania, 2021)
InterPhoto festival (Bialystok, Poland, 2019)
Les Boreales festival (Caen, France, 2018)
Anykščiai Art Incubator (Lithuania, 2018)
Plungė Library (Lithuania, 2017)
RA Gallery (Kiev, Ukraine, 2016)
Museum of Photography in Šiauliai (Lithuania, 2016)
Lithuanian House (Sejny, Poland, 2015)
Prospektas Gallery of Photography (Vilnius, Lithuania, 2014)
Huet+Repolt Collection (Brussels, Belgium, 2013)
EUROCONTROL (Brussels, Belgium, 2013)
National M.K.Čiurlionis Art Museum (Kaunas, Lithuania, 2013)
Fotofever Art Fair (Brussels, Belgium, 2013)
B & B Gallery in Bielsko Biala (Poland, 2013)
Plovdiv Meetings of Photography (Bulgaria, Oct., 2011)
Kaunas Photography Gallery and F Galerija (Lithuania, 2011)
Ballarat Photo Biennale (Australia, 2009)
Kražiai festival (Lithuania, 2009)
Fotofreo – City of Fremantle Festival of Photography (Australia, 2008)
Kaunas Cultural Center of Various Nations (Lithuania, 2008)
Bialystok Cultural Centre (Poland, 2008)
Small Gallery (Druskininkai, Lithuania, 2007)
Vytautas Magnus University, Political Sciences and Diplomacy School (Kaunas, Lithuania, 2007)
Sundsvall Museum of Photography Bildens Hus, Sundsvall International Photo Festival (2005)
Contemporary Art Center (Vilnius), Vilnius Wine Festival (2005)
F Galerija (Kaunas, Lithuania, 2005, 2006);
Jukka Male Museo (Helsinki, Finland, 2004-2005);
Vilnius Gallery of Photography (Lithuania, 2003); Klaipėda House of Artists (Lithuania, 2003);
French Cultural Centre, Vilnius (Lithuania, 2003);Kaunas County Public Library (Lithuania, 2003);
Panevėžys Gallery of Photography (Lithuania, 2003);
Embassy of Lithuania in Washington D.C. (USA, 2000); Čiurlionis Gallery, Chicago (USA, 2000);
Pont Neuf gallery (Paris, France, 1999), FNAC gallery (Motpellier, France, 1999);
Kaunas Drama Theatre (Lithuania, 1999);
Ecole nationale de la photographie (Arles, France, 1998);
Klaipėda Gallery of Photography (Lithuania, 1997), and other exhibitions.
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Selected group exhibitions:
Kaunas Picture gallery, as a part of “Daily Life in Lithuanian Photography” (2020)
Nuit de la Photo (La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzwerland, 2019)
FotoNoviembre (Santa Cruz, Tenerife, Spain, 2017)
Baltic Photo Biennale (Kaliningrad, 2017)
Auckland International Festival of Photography (New Zealand, 2015)
“The Amber Road Show” at Gallery Photon (Vienna, Austria 2015)
“Generation ’74” at M.Žilinskas Art Gallery of the National M.K.Čiurlionis Museum (Kaunas, Lithuania, 2014)
National Museum of Armenia (Yerevan, 2013)
National Gallery of Georgia (Tbilisi, 2013)
“The Amber Road Show”, Wolkersdorf Castle & Fotoforum Innsbruck (Austria, 2013)
La Nuit de la Photo (projection festival), La Chaux-de-Fonds (Switzerland, 2013)
Institut Français, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Seimas – Parliament of Lithuania, all Vilnius (Lithuania, 2013)
Kaunas-Grenoble. Regards croisees – Grenoble Town Hall, Kaunas Žalgiris Arena (2012)
Kaunas Photo festival (2012)
Behind White Curtain – Lithuanian pavillion at Venice Biennial (2011)
LAB East – V8 gallery Cologne (Germany, 2011), Karl Bula Gallery – St Petersburg (Russia, 2011)
Easternphotoworks – Zurich(Switzerland, 2010)
Lodz Photo festival – Second Cities project exhibition (Poland, 2009)
Pingyao International Photography Festival (China, 2008); general catalog;
Noorderlicht “Behind the Wall: Eastern Europe before and beyond 1989” (The Netherlands, 2008); general catalog;
The Core of Industry, Reggio Emilia (Italy, 2008); general catalog;
Fotochaosas, F Galerija, Kaunas (Lithuania, 2008);
Second cities photo exhibition, Košice (Slovakia, 2007), general project catalog;
Thessaloniki meetings of photography, “Time” project (Greece, 2007), general festival catalog;
Tourism revolution, menotrentuno.it (Sardinia 2006-7); general festival catalog, monographic catalog;
101,3 km: Vilnius-Kaunas, Contemporary Art Center (Vilnius, 2006);
Lithuanian Photography between 9th heaven and 99 km of seashore, photodemer.fr Vannes (France, 2006); catalog
Zona, exhibition about borderlands in Krakow, Villa Decius (Poland 2005); catalog and newspaper-shaped catalog
Les Boreales festival (Caen, France 2003)
21 Young Lithuanian Photographers, Lithuanian Cultural Center (Moscow, Russia 2003); general catalog
Baltische Foto Linse (Bern, Switzerland, 2002)
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“Portrait of Kražiai”, 152 pages, 141 images. Hard cover. Published by Šviesos raštas, Kaunas, Lithuania. 2009
“Travel’AIR”, 64 pages, 61 images, paper back and hard cover versions. Published by Šviesos raštas, Kaunas, Lithuania. 2013
The book was first presented in FotoFever fair in Brussels, Oct 4-6, 2013.
“D., G. ir kiti”, 112 pages. Hard cover. Published by Šviesos raštas, Kaunas, Lithuania. 2013/2014
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Education, Training, Residencies
PORI’Air residence, AALTO university, Pori, Finland (2010);
Košice photography residence – documenting the city of Košice, Slovakia (2008);
Oracle meetings of international photographic community (2005 – Florence-Artimino, 2006 – Prague)
Forum of European and Asian young photographers, Maison Europeene de la Photographie (Paris, 2005)
Yearly visits to and assistance within the Rencontres internationales de la photographie (Arles, France, 1998-2002);
Internship at the Musée de l’Elysée – Museum for Photography, under direction of William A. Ewing, Director and Jean-Christophe Blaser, Assistant Curator (Lausanne, Switzerland, 2001);
Post-degree studies in art history, communication at University of Lausanne (Switzerland, 2000-2001).
MA in History of Architecture at Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas (Lithuania, 2000);
Ecole nationale supérieure de Beaux-Arts (Paris, France, 1998);
Residential studies at Ecole nationale de la photographie (Arles, France, 1997-8);
Bachelor degree in Art History and Business and Administration certificate (1996) at Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania);
Kaunas School of Photo Art (1989-1992)
Kaunas Jonas Jablonskis Secondary School graduation with special mention for excellence of English (1992)
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Grants, Awards, Special Mentions
Kaunas City Culture Award, 2019
Gloria Artis, Decoration of the Republic of Poland, 2018
Kaunas City decoration for artistic activities promoting Kaunas, 2013
Travel’AIR series nominated for “Portfolio of the Year” by LeJournaldelaPhotographie.com, 2012
Award of Kaunas Art Creators’ Association for monograph “Portrait of Kraziai” and Kaunas Photo festival activity.
Invitation to ORACLE meeting, 2005 in Florence and Prague, 2006;
Special prize of Union of Art Photographers for the documentary project „A Portrait of Kražiai“ and the organizing of KAUNAS PHOTO DAYS, the first photographic festival in Lithuania (2004);
Nordic Council of Ministers’ travel and study grants (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007);
Nordic Council of Ministers’ grant for internships within Nordic Photographic institutions Closer Cultural Neighbours (2004, 2007);
Honour Citizenship of the historic village of Kražiai (2003);
Grant of the Open Society Fund Lithuania for the documentary project “A Portrait of Kražiai“ (Vilnius, Lithuania 2002);
Scholarships of Ministry of Culture of Lithuania (2008, 2007, 2006, 2003, 2002, 1995);
Scholarship of Swiss Confederation for art studies at Lausanne University (2000-2001);
LVMH Prize of Young Creation, scholarship for studies at ENSB-A, Paris (Paris, France, 1998);
FIAP Gold Medal (Riga, Latvia 1997)