Forbidden cult images of the Lithuanian photographer Vitas Luckus

Vitas Luckus — iconic photographer from Lithuania, whose works during his life he exhibited quite rare. To the photos Luckus addicted when he was 20 years old. He traveled extensively, worked on different topics.

Police Tbilisi drank wine with him. The thieves from Odessa came to look at this man. From the provinces of the Republic of Bashkortostan were sent to him honey. The Catholicos of all Armenians met him a sumptuous dinner. At home, he kept a live lion. Worked a lot and drank a lot.

Procession of people trusted him, admired him, imitated his manners and retold his fascinating history. Its magnificent and extravagant building was known as the most prominent cultural centre of Bohemia at the time. Photographer and his beautiful wife have hosted famous artists from all over the Soviet Union. Conversations about art and life here lasted longer than a day or two. But the picture has consumed him for real.

Two.

His life he does not choose his God was an art, and this determined his fate. Was born in Kaunas. Lived in Vilnius. Married Russian girl Tanya. Very nice to get a couple, according to the memoirs of friends. Bright. Friends in the house always been a lot — from the Union. The home — Studio: impeccable interior, vintage furniture, paintings, books, music, glassware, silver — nothing flashy and unnecessary. Nepatinka latitude and hospitality. Curious, envious (and they killed him).

Photographer Vitas Luckus lived in a society that officially it is not accepted. Fury, infinite individuality and extraordinary documentary photos gave Luckese artist who refused to adapt to the so-called "normal" life. He wasn't looking for success in the system. Many years have passed. But Lucky still "forbidden" photographer, even in its native, is already an independent country. His achievements and innovation is still known only to a close circle of intellectuals, as it was in Soviet times in life photographer.

They met in the hospital when she was preparing to become a nurse. She was 18 and he was 24. Their first joint home can be called darkroom, which was a clamshell. Wife Tania became his Muse and creative partner and model, and co-produced. They've earned, creating posters that shopkeepers hung over the half-empty shelves.

Self-portrait with Tanya

Lucky possessed limitless creative potential and the ability to inspire a Bohemian community in which it rotated. He is considered the founder of conceptual photography in Lithuania. But Vitas Luckus forever devoted to reportage, with which he started his career, skillfully combining two entirely opposite directions: clean the brave documentary and fiction.

Brothers

Vitas Luckus called himself a "mongrel". Frames filled with information and emotions. Often off of people with annoyingly close, pressed the shutter at the moment when the man started to laugh, or kicked up his hands in motion.

From the 1960s to mid-1980s years he traveled throughout all Soviet republics, took pictures of peasants, artists, bystanders, police officers, urban children. He worked obsessively, camera hung from his neck. Photographer never been involved in politics, but his work was not accepted by the censor. Him often followed informants and police officers.

16 March 1987 by an unknown person, presumably a KGB agent, visited family Luckus in Vilnius. Vitas angered this person, according to the report, he struck him a fatal blow, and then he jumped off the balcony. Wife found him in the snow.

Together.

She went on to shoot for several years, but in Lithuania have never felt safe. In 1991, he moved to the United States, taking with him his daughter Katrina, suitcase with photos and diaries Vitas and $ 50. There she got married. Now Tanya Aldag works in a nursing home on his ranch in the suburbs of Maryland where to store thousands of black and white images filled with Soviet Lithuania.

Tanya Aldag

Photos of Vitas Luckus photographer, who is considered one of the pioneers of conceptual photography — ahead of his time. During his lifetime he was known only to a narrow circle of intellectuals, and his untimely death almost did not change anything. In Switzerland issued the album in the Netherlands gave the posthumous exhibition, and the Museum of fine arts. Pushkin bought a small collection of his photos. Some pictures Luckus went under the hammer at auction.

This picture Vitas Luckus from the series "Journey" was sold at Sotheby's auction for 1 500 pounds.

Dedication.

Mountain with Marx, Engels and Lenin — Bashkiria, White river

Tbilisi, 1981

Somewhere in Georgia

The joy of life.