Kuzma Stanislovas

1947-2012
Born in Panevėžys.

In 1961-1966 he studied at the M. K. Čiurlionis Art School in Vilnius. In 1973 he graduated from the Lithuanian Institute of Arts and until 1976 he worked as a lecturer at the Department of Drawing. In 2000-2001 he was an associate professor at the Department of Sculpture at the Vilnius Academy of Arts. Since 1976 he has been a member of the Lithuanian Artists’ Union and has been engaged in creative work. He is a member of the Board of the Royal Palace Reconstruction Support Fund, a member of the Vilnius Archdiocese Church Art Commission.

Creates portraits, decorative sculptures, monuments, tombstones, and small sculptures. The sculptor uniquely transforms local tradition, using a compositional structure close to folk sculpture and the nature of stylization of forms. S. Kuzma’s attitude towards art, the artist’s purpose, sculpture, and his own work is reflected in a conversation with the writer V. Juknaitė. The sculptor’s works can be found in Šiauliai (“Shooter”), Panevėžys (“Grand Duke Alexander of Lithuania”), Elektrėnai Church (“Mary with the Little Christ”), Nida (“The Crucified”), etc.

S. Kuzma created many works for the city of Vilnius. These are the sculptures “Guardian of the City Gate” (1973) (the artist’s diploma work, Trakų g. 2/Pylimo 24, in the niche of the house); “Enterprise”, “Festival of the Muses” (1981) and “Vision” (1992) – at the Lithuanian National Drama Theatre (Gedimino pr. 4); “Contract” (1984) – near the hotel “Lietuva” (“Reval Hotel Lietuva”) (Konstitucijos pr. 20); monuments in the Antakalnis cemetery: “Pieta” – a memorial to the defenders of Lithuanian freedom (1995); a cross to Count R. Gibavičius (1993); “Amneris” (2005); “Angel” (2009); restoration of the sculptures of the pediment of the Vilnius Cathedral (1996). One of the sculptor’s latest works is the bust of Barbora Radvilaitė. The queen’s face is accurately sculpted according to her restored skull.
S. Kuzma – Cavalier of the Order of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Gediminas, III degree, laureate of the National Prize (1996).
In 2007, he was awarded the statue of St. Christopher.
“Vilnius has always seemed to me a very magical and sacred city. It has not changed at all. I am glad that my works are important for the city,” said S. Kuzma, after receiving the award.

S. Kuzma died on August 14, 2012. He was buried in the Artists’ Hill of the Antakalnis Cemetery.