On the Wall of the State Data Agency (Statistics Lithuania), the Bukantė Forest Has Grown

For a long time, the wall of the State Data Agency was hidden behind scaffolding and protective sheeting. As we passed by, we wondered what would appear on that wall. A vivid mural? A portrait of Žemaitė? Perhaps a cityscape?

One morning, we arrived at work and saw that the scaffolding was gone.

Colleagues walked over to Žemaitė Square, looked at the wall from different angles, and searched for hidden details. We tried to identify trees, silhouettes, and birds. We interpreted what we saw. Then we looked again.

A forest had grown on the wall of our building.

The monumental mural Bukantė Forest, covering nearly 600 square metres, was created by artist Liuda Jaruševičiūtė Stankevičienė. The artwork has become part of the renewed Žemaitė Square, naturally extending what was already there: the trees, their shadows, the tranquillity of the square, and the world of Žemaitė’s literary works.

Forest That Extends the Square

The idea for the artwork was inspired by the location itself. During the warmer months, a large portion of the wall is covered by the trees of the square. For this reason, the artist did not want to compete with them. “If I had created something completely different, that image would have had to compete with the trees for visibility. I wanted not to compete, but to complement them. To create a work that would incorporate the entire square”, says Liuda Jaruševičiūtė Stankevičienė.

Here, the real trees became the foreground of the artwork, while the painted ones serve as their continuation. The shadows of branches cast on the wall blend into the composition, and the work itself changes with the seasons. In summer, part of it is concealed by foliage; in autumn, more details are revealed; in winter, the painted forest is complemented by the bare branches of the real trees.

For this reason, the forest is not brightly green or purely summery. It is restrained, greyish, and misty. As the artist herself notes, it is a forest that is particularly well suited to Lithuania’s weather.

Not an Illustration of a Specific Work by Žemaitė

Bukantė Forest is not an illustration of any single work by Žemaitė. Rather, it is an interpretation of the mood of her writings, of nature, and of the life hidden within it.

The artist recalls reading Žemaitė’s Petras Kurmelis at school. As the protagonist walks through the forest, he hears birds singing and feels as though they are saying something, perhaps even mocking him. Here, the forest is not merely a backdrop. It is alive. It watches, speaks, and responds.

Bukantė Forest functions in a similar way. From a distance, viewers first perceive the forest as a whole, but as they move closer, fine lines, branches, layers of vegetation, and smaller visual details begin to emerge.

Nearly 600 Square Metres Painted with Brushes

Another part of the artwork’s story becomes apparent only when one learns how it was created. Initially, there were plans to paint the wall using paint-spraying drones. However, the technology could offer only three primary colours: red, blue, and yellow. Such an approach was not suitable for a restrained forest rendered in subtle shades of grey.

“In the end, I simply climbed onto the scaffolding and started painting”, says the artist.

The entire wall was painted by hand, mostly using small brushes. One more circumstance makes this work unusual: while creating it, the artist was unable to see the mural as a whole.

The scaffolding was covered with protective sheeting, so at any given time the artist could see only a small section of the wall and had to imagine how the individual fragments would come together as a whole.

In fact, the artist herself saw the entire Bukantė Forest for the first time only after the sheeting had been removed.

“I was very curious to see how it had turned out. Once the protective sheeting was taken down, it immediately became clear what still needed to be adjusted or completed”, recalls the artist.

The weather also shaped the work. Rain, humidity, and cold temperatures frequently slowed the painting process, so suitable days had to be used as effectively as possible. It was not only a creative undertaking but also a physically demanding one, involving work at considerable height, constant movement along the scaffolding, and long periods without being able to see the finished result in its entirety.

Another Layer in the Building’s History

The forest has also found a place for the Frida Kahlo portrait created by set designer Paulė Bocullaitė, which previously adorned the wall. On an empty wall, it was bold and dominant; now, it has become a subtle splash of colour within the restrained, grey-toned forest.

Today, Bukantė Forest has already become part of everyday life at the State Data Agency. We see it as we head out for lunch or cross the square. We also plan to include the artwork in the educational tours and lessons we organise about the building’s architecture, its history, and Žemaitė Square.

Another layer has been added to the building’s story.

And if, while walking through Žemaitė Square, you do not notice Bukantė Forest right away, there is nothing unusual about that.

This forest does not call out for attention.

It waits for you to stop.

Last updated: 11-09-2026

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