The Foreman

myminifactory

This sculpture embodies the Foreman, a pivotal figure in Lithuanian art that blended seamlessly with Russian and Soviet ideologies. Jouzas Kedainis and fellow Lithuanian artists etched the faces of workers who toiled at the University over centuries. During the thaw period, more liberal cultural politics allowed for artistic expression to flourish, despite creative freedom being largely an illusion. Artists who dared to create were stifled by strict state commissions and dependence on government support, forcing them to conform to Soviet ideology. However, within the fifty-year span of Soviet rule and official culture, artists managed to produce remarkable works celebrating historical dates and jubilees that enriched national cultures and reflected the people's deep-seated nationalist sentiments.