Auguste Lu (Augustė Lubickaitė) is a Lithuanian contemporary painter, born in Klaipėda and based in Hamamatsu, Japan, since 2023. A 2020 fine-arts graduate of the Eduardas Balsys Gymnasium of Arts in Klaipėda, she works in acrylic ink, charcoal, and oil stick to make elemental abstractions concerned with human duality and the meeting of Lithuanian and Japanese sensibilities. Her touring solo exhibition DUALITY: Our Divided Selves has been shown in Tokyo and Nagoya, including at the Frederick Harris Gallery, Tokyo American Club (2026), and she exhibits regularly with Gallery CHARLOTTE.USAGI in Yokohama. In 2025 she represented Lithuania at Pre-Expo Kyoto.
BACKGROUND
Auguste Lubickaite is an emerging Lithuanian contemporary artist living in Japan, most recognized for her fluid and elegant artwork.
She was born and raised in Klaipeda, Lithuania, and has drawn inspiration from her diverse background in music and digital visual effects, infusing her artwork with a unique blend of creativity, technicality, and emotional experiences.
NOMAD INFLUENCE
After graduating from a traditional art school in Lithuania, Auguste ventured to the United Kingdom, where she began her career as a visual effects artist in the video games industry, delving into the technical aspects of art.
However, her desire for authentic expression led her to Japan, where she now lives and explores new perspectives in her latest painting collections. This international journey has deeply influenced her work, adding layers of technicality and emotional depth as she embraces her diverse experiences and background.
INSPIRATION
Influenced by her Baltic heritage and Scandinavian sensibility, Auguste works with unconventional materials such as acrylic ink, coal, and chalk. Her minimalist palettes paired with intricate shapes are a direct representation of the inner contrasts she encourages the viewer to embrace.
Each piece reflects her nomadic journey of self-discovery and invites viewers into a visual dialogue between light and shadow, presence and possibility.
IMPACT
Her latest solo exhibitions in Nagoya and Tokyo’s Roppongi district, along with representing Lithuania at Pre-Expo Kyoto, reflect a growing artistic voice rooted in cross-cultural dialogue.
These milestones not only mark her emergence in the Japanese contemporary art scene but also embody her ongoing exploration of identity, transition, and belonging across cultures. Each exhibition becomes a space where Baltic introspection meets Japanese minimalism, inviting viewers from diverse backgrounds to unify through inner dualities.
Education
2014–2020 — Diploma in Fine Arts, Eduardas Balsys Gymnasium of Arts, Klaipėda, Lithuania
2020–2023 — BSc Computer Games Technology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
Solo Exhibitions
2026
- Among Stillness and Breath – Gallery CHARLOTTE.USAGI, Yokohama, Japan
- DUALITY: Our Divided Selves – Frederick Harris Gallery, Tokyo American Club, Tokyo, Japan
2025
- Zen Garden – Gallery CHARLOTTE.USAGI, Yokohama, Japan
- DUALITY: Our Divided Selves – G Keyakizaka, Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan
- DUALITY: Our Divided Selves – Gallery Eureka, Nagoya, Japan
2024
- Elegant Catharsis – Studio Šviesos ir Kūrybos Namai, Klaipėda, Lithuania
Group Exhibitions & Events
2026
- Abstract Beyond Borders: WORLDTIMES Gallery, Hyogo, Japan
2025
- Marginal Art Fair Fukushima Hirono: Unresolved Landscapes – Fukushima, Japan
- Art Festival – Gallery GK, Ginza, Tokyo, Japan
- Pre-Expo Kyoto – International Community House, Kyoto, Japan (Representing Lithuania)
2024
- Ishikawa-cho Fall Festival – Public Painting, Gallery CHARLOTTE.USAGI, Yokohama, Japan
2020
- End-of-Year Graduation Exhibition – Eduardas Balsys Gymnasium of Arts, Klaipėda, Lithuania
CURATOR'S NOTE:
Auguste's work shows the world that art is a result of an accumulation of rich experiences, making it a never-ending story influenced by each viewer that looks at her paintings.
