Metų laikai
The Seasons. Poetry. His first book.
Poet · essayist · editor
Vaidotas Daunys
1958 – 1995
Founder of the magazine Krantai, creator of the almanac Veidai and editor of the revived Naujoji Romuva – one of the leading figures who brought together Lithuanian culture during the years of national revival.
Biography
Vaidotas Daunys was born on 2 January 1958 in Rokiškis, Lithuania, into the family of ethnographer and poet Stasys Daunys and a teacher of Lithuanian. He attended Kaunas Secondary School No. 2 (now Maironis Gymnasium) and, from 1972, the school in Rumšiškės. His first poems appeared in print when he was only nine; at sixteen he wrote a historical drama, Krėva.
In 1981 he graduated in Lithuanian language and literature from Vilnius University and joined the editorial staff of the literary magazine Pergalė. Soon he began gathering the young generation of artists around him: he compiled the almanac Veidai and led the Vilnius section of young writers.
In autumn 1988 he founded Krantai, a magazine of art and culture that brought together many artistic fields and became one of the most distinctive voices of the Lithuanian cultural revival. In 1991, with like-minded friends, he established the Regnum foundation, which ran a publishing house, an almanac and a chamber music ensemble. From 1992 he wrote a weekly essay for the Saturday column “Šeštoji diena” (The Sixth Day) in the daily Lietuvos rytas, and in 1994 he revived the interwar magazine Naujoji Romuva, becoming its editor-in-chief.
His poetry is marked by ethical searching, a dialogue between present and past, a philosophical cast and, in later years, religious themes. He translated works by Adam Mickiewicz, Osip Mandelstam and Saint Francis of Assisi.
Vaidotas Daunys died on 29 July 1995 in Vingis Park, Vilnius, during a hot-air balloon competition held for the 5th World Lithuanian Sports Games. He was 37. He is buried in Rumšiškės cemetery on the shore of the Kaunas Lagoon. In 1996 he was posthumously awarded the Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Literary Prize.
Chronology
- 1958
Born on 2 January in Rokiškis.
- 1965–1972
Attends Kaunas Secondary School No. 2.
- 1967
First poems published in periodicals.
- 1972–1976
Attends Rumšiškės Secondary School.
- 1976–1981
Studies Lithuanian language and literature at Vilnius University.
- 1981–1987
Section editor at the magazine Pergalė.
- 1983
The cycle “Metų laikai” (The Seasons) is published in the magazine Nemunas.
- 1985
First book of poetry, Metų laikai, is published.
- 1985–1989
Compiles and edits the young culture almanac Veidai (5 volumes).
- 1987–1988
Editor-in-chief of the children’s magazine Žvaigždutė.
- 1988
Founds the art and culture magazine Krantai; editor-in-chief until 1995.
- 1991
Establishes the Regnum foundation with friends.
- 1992–1995
Writes the weekly essay column “Šeštoji diena” in the daily Lietuvos rytas.
- 1993
Publishes Vilnius. Vardas ir žodis, a book of essays and photographs (with V. Balčytis).
- 1994–1995
Editor-in-chief of the revived magazine Naujoji Romuva.
- 1995
Dies in Vilnius on 29 July. The essay collection Šeštoji diena is published.
- 1996
Posthumously awarded the G. Petkevičaitė-Bitė Literary Prize.
Works
Donelaitis: metų laikai ir erdvės
Donelaitis: Seasons and Spaces. Material for lecturers.
Vilnius. Vardas ir žodis
Vilnius: Name and Word. Essays and photographs, with Vytautas Balčytis. Also published in Polish as Wilno: imię i słowo.
Šeštoji diena
The Sixth Day. Selected essays from his Lietuvos rytas column.
Kelio ženklai
Road Signs. Selected poetry.
Pastoviųjų vertybių versmė
The Source of Lasting Values. Literary criticism.
Langas
The Window. Poems from his school years.
Kūrybos karalystės šviesa
The Light of the Kingdom of Creation. Articles, conversations, essays.
Also the drama Krėva, short stories, and translations of Adam Mickiewicz, Osip Mandelstam and Saint Francis of Assisi.
Publications he founded and edited
- Veidai 1985–1989
- An almanac of young culture that brought together emerging poets, prose writers, critics, musicians and philosophers.
- Krantai since 1988
- A magazine of art and culture uniting literature, visual art, music, theatre and other fields.
- Regnum since 1991
- A foundation with a publishing house, an almanac (two issues appeared) and a chamber music ensemble.
- Naujoji Romuva 1994–1995
- A revived interwar cultural weekly, which he led as editor-in-chief until his death.
Gallery
Photographs by Onutė Pajedaitė. Dates are being confirmed.
Videos
A conversation with the poet’s widow Raimonda Daunienė and daughter Elena Daunytė
Violinist and music teacher Raimonda Daunienė remembers Vaidotas Daunys – his personality, his creative path, his bonds with family and friends, and the place of faith in his life and work. Cellist Elena Daunytė speaks about her father’s influence, presents her poetry collection 33 įkvėpimai (33 Breaths) and reads her poem “Įkvėpime”. Vaidotas Daunys’s poem “Šventoji” from the collection Kelio ženklai is also read. The recording ends with a look through the family’s photographs.
Recorded by the Lithuanian Central State Archives; the conversation was hosted by senior archivist Larisa Dmuchovskaja and filmed by Vaidotas Digimas.
▶ Watch on e-kinas.ltVaidotas Daunys Foundation
Information about the foundation, its aims and activities is coming soon.