In 2022, the municipality of Rokiškis district announced a competition of ideas for the perpetuation of the Tyzenhauz family. Five collectives presented different artistic visions, the first place was won by the architects of "Architektūros linija", the authors of the project ARCH. prof. Gintaras Čaikauskas ARCH. Faust Lasys.
Location
The essential compositional principle of the ensemble of the manor and the church is a bright axis of the composition, the perspectives of which are completed on one side by the manor and on the other by the church. This extremely characteristic and strong feature of the city of Rokiškis is the main characteristic of urban identity. Both physically and semantically, this connection expresses a special quality of the Tyzenhaus family - an immediate, noble connection between their earthly life and the concept of the spiritual world. As the city continued to develop, all essential signs - monuments - were built on the already mentioned axis (independence monument 1931 by Robert Antinis, monument "arch" for the city's 500th anniversary by Leonas Žuklys, Gediminas Žuklys, Elena Nijolė Bučiūtė and Lada Markejevaitė). This arrangement of monuments on the main axis forms the compositional identity of the old part of the city. It is a natural conclusion that the new monument must be erected exactly on the line that connects the ensembles of the church and the manor. The specific location for the monument was chosen sensitively taking into account the neighborhood in the street pavements and the already formed Tyzenhauzău Alley tract. In the part of Tyzenhauzai Avenue, which is located in the Independence Square, there is already a widening of the path, but it is formal, without meaning. It was in this part that the new sign - the monument to the Tyzenhauses - was built, and the expansion gained significance, and the composition of the square was even more emphasized.
Concept
According to a well-known legend, the Tyzenhaus manor and the church ensemble are connected by a secret tunnel through which the members of the court could secretly and safely enter the service. This legend inspired the concept of the sculpture. The triangular part of the pavement is like a book opened on the main axis of the old town composition. The inverted plane forms a volume which, when looking towards the church, visually challenges the asymmetric position of the church tower and sensitively restores the compositional balance. A place for text is provided on the plane of the monument. After lifting the pavement plane, another triangle that appeared is covered with safety glass with a recessed (about 1m deep) plane, which reveals and visually makes sense of the tunnel legend. The effect of an endless tunnel is created with modern technological means - with the help of light and sails. The recessed plane floor is covered with a mirror. This is how the symbolic meaning of the work is expressed - standing and reading the text about the Tyzenhaus family, looking in the mirror, we see our own reflection. This is a topical message for every visitor. The great family that once created the city of Rokiškis is no more, but we are here and now the future of this city depends on us. In this way, it's as if we become a part of and continuers of the works started by the Tyzenhauses.
Authors “Architektūros linija” Gintaras Čaikauskas, Faustas Lasys
Photographer Ričardas Čerbulėnas
