Jurga Ivanauskaite Lithuanian artist, writer, traveler. Date of Birth: 14.11.1961 Country: Lithuania

Biography of Jurga Ivanauskaitė

Jurga Ivanauskaitė was a Lithuanian artist, writer, and traveler. She lived in Vilnius and graduated from the Vilnius Academy of Arts in 1985, where she focused on graphics.

In the years 1993-1995, she embarked on a journey to India, Nepal, and Tibet. During this time, she became a propagandist for Buddhism and actively participated in the movement for the liberation of Tibet.

Her first collection of novellas, "Pakalnučių metai" ("The Year of the Lilies"), was published in 1985. However, she gained recognition with her novel "Ragana ir lietus" ("The Witch and the Rain"), which was condemned by the Catholic Church in Lithuania. This novel was later adapted into the film "Nuodėmės užkalbėjimas" ("The Spell of Sin").

Ivanauskaitė was a versatile author, having written six novels, fairy tales for children, books of documentary prose, poetry, as well as essays and journalistic works. Her works have been translated into many languages, including Russian, English, Latvian, German, Polish, and Chuvash.

In 2008, the relatives, friends, and fans of Ivanauskaitė established the Jurga Ivanauskaitė Creative Heritage Center. This center is responsible for organizing the annual Jurga Ivanauskaitė Literary Award. The award is given to authors under the age of 45 for their outstanding works in Lithuanian literature that embody "freedom, openness, and bold creative expression."

In April 2008, a square at the beginning of Agounu Street in Vilnius, where Ivanauskaitė once lived, was named in her honor. In this square, a granite sculpture called "The Cat" (created by Ksenija Yaroševaitė) was unveiled in September 2009. The cat symbolizes Ivanauskaitė's independent character and is a recurring motif in many of her works. According to those who knew her, cats and angels were her great passions.