GBA Lifestyle News
Artists and fitness trainers aren’t usually mentioned in the same sentence. But Gedvile Grace Bunikyte has been donning both hats and finding joy in both arts in very different ways. Here, she tells us all about the meaning of art, and the art of living.
Born in Lithuania and raised in the UK, Gedvile is a former professional gymnast and dancer. She also has a passion for philosophy, learning and life. Now in Hong Kong, she splits her time between her art studio and the gym while connecting with and inspiring people. Her art expresses how she perceives herself and the world she lives in through minimal, abstract, and physical means. You will also find her using strength, energy and creativity to fuel both her passion for fitness and art.
Life is art. To live your life right takes a lot of effort, skill, and precision. So under that umbrella you can include anything and everything. Art is a way of life. If you appreciate art, as an artist or collector, or if you connect with art on any level, it’s part of who you are.
The artist life can be true to negative stereotypes, or the complete opposite. For me, it was knowing that I don’t have to be a certain way or certain image to other people. That really helped me explore all the different ways of being. Physical health, mental health, and wealth are all concepts that once you understand, you can have. The artist life can be very abstract, demanding and challenging, but it can also be extremely rewarding. It’s an alchemy. You work with many different energies, thoughts and manifestations, and in the end, you choose what you need.
For me, art and fitness are means of expression for many different parts of my personality. For you, it might be something else. So try art, try fitness – or anything that you are drawn to.
To me, being an artist is not a profession. It’s a spaceship that one travels in. You are following your own trajectory. It’s a self study. I am learning about the self, the conditions of the I, and the spaces around it. To learn about the self is an extremely important process in a person’s development, and art was my teacher. Art provided many questions and some of the answers. I am really taking my time with it. It took me a long time to arrive to what is now considered my style. And then it just came. Tt was so easy and effortless. I recognised myself in the work I was doing, and it became my style.
In life, we have so many different roles and responsibilities that we have to fulfil – being a friend, a mother, a daughter, a professional, and so on. Some of them we get to choose, and some of it chooses us. All of us on this planet have exactly the same amount of hours in the day, and it’s up to us what we choose to do with them. Whenever I start to feel overwhelmed, I slow down and I end up doing more. The best advice I heard was: “learn to rest, not to quit.”
I love structure and I love to have freedom within it. If I am tired, I rest or meditate; if I am hungry, I eat; when I am at work, that’s my focus, and that’s all that matters. The important thing is to keep a clear mind, to stay focused on what makes you happy, to be kind to yourself and others, and then just show up for what needs to be done. Don’t wait for that mythical, magical day when you will start living your life. Show up now. Turn up at the gym and do something, turn up at the market and buy food that’s good for you, turn up at the studio and create.
I’ve got lots of exciting things in the horizon! A solo show with my Hong Kong gallery, Sin Sin Fine Art, is coming in September. I’ve also got more clothing collaborations and a US tour in the works. Follow me on Instagram to stay in the loop and catch me at one of my classes in town.
From our Hot Seat series.
