R. Klimavičius, the middle generation artist from Klaipėda, exhibits over twenty works of art that have not been presented to the public until now at the exhibition "Doomed to be Happy".
As the title of the exhibition suggests, the theme of happiness will be analyzed in it. According to philosopher Arvydas Piepalius, “We are programmed to believe that happiness is something that needs to be pursued. <...> Is happiness only a fiction, another romantic fantasy of a human in order to embellish a brutally uncomfortable reality, and is there nothing in the world except the laws of nature, ignorant rationality and naked causality? There are certainly those who think so. But most of us will agree with the maxim that a human is created for happiness, like a bird is created to fly. Each of us feels a special human purpose and responsibility to be happy and we all try our best to realize this aspiration with our lives“.
And what is happiness for an artist? According to the author of the exhibition R. Klimavičius, happiness for him are conditions to create freely and carefree: with suitable premises, excellent lighting and unlimited amount of paint. The artist experienced exactly such two summers, when he was creating art works, that are exhibited on Tiltų street in Klaipėda and in the Creative House of  Lithuanian Artists’ Association in Palanga. "Who can have such conditions to create and not be happy?! The owners gave me premises on Tiltų street for the whole summer to set up a studio. When you work and exhibit your works right off the street, you get a lot of visitors and buyers. These are the ideal conditions for an artist! This should always be the case. And other summer I was in Palanga's Creative House. The premises to work there were perfect: bright, large space. And the work itself was quite different. Everything was different - other formats, other possibilities”, says the artist.
The search of sacredness is typical for the creative work of R. Klimavičius, who is productive and almost yearly organizes exhibitions. These studies are also reflected in the exhibition „Doomed to be Happy“. The artist selects a quote from the Sacred Scripture for each work of art, thereby he emphasizes the contrast between image and thought and draws in the viewer in a particular game. “Because everything is a game. There is also a peculiar performance going on in the church: priests are like actors, dressed in stage costumes, they use music, acting, scenography. A holy act is underway. But we are all sinful - even priests sin. And in my works you can find reflections of sins, but with those quotes I do not intimidate, neither teach, nor moralize - as if I try to untie those sins ... ”- the artist reasons his choice.
According to art critic Algis Uždavinys, “R. Klimavičius emphasizes a masculine origin which is characterized by monumentality and elemental force. In spite of irrational attitudes, the structure of compositions is always logically justified, although we should probably talk about the logic of dreams rather than the scientific relation between cause and consequence. Paradoxically playing with various symbolic elements, the artist searches for deeper connections of reality, but always takes the aesthetically motivated totality into account”.
Romas Klimavičius was born in Klaipėda in 1954. In 1979 he finished graphics studies at Lithuanian State Art Institute of those days (now - Lithuanian Academy of Arts). He participates in exhibitions since 1979. Since 1990 - member of Lithuanian Artists' Association. He creates works of graphics, painting, scenography and sculpture, has organized dozens of personal and group exhibitions in Lithuania and abroad.