Gerda Satunas was born in Vilnius, Lithuania in 1983. Growing up in a family of artists, she embraced an early understanding of form and a love of colour. After completing her secondary education at The National M.K. Čiurlionis School of Art, Lithuania, she undertook further design studies in Lithuania, Paris and Amsterdam. In 2011 she relocated to study at the London College of Fashion (University of Arts, London) becoming involved in artistic projects for Madame Tussauds Museum and the Royal Opera House, London. She completed her BA (Hons) in Costume Design for Performance in 2014.
Moving to Auckland in2014, Satunas continued her artistic journey in fashion. In 2016, she became finalist in the International Emerging Designer Awards, Dunedin ID Fashion Week. In 2021, she moved to Dunedin where she discovered the beauty and texture of ceramics.
Journey into the Unknown is an exploration of ceramic forms reflecting Satunas’ journey from a life in Lithuania to an unimagined life in NZ. In an intimate journey of contrasts, mood and colour, she strives to find peace, the love of self and a path to achieving her dreams for the future.
Embracing the richness and culture of her European heritage, the heavy textures, luscious colours and bold use of gold lustres in Satunas’ early works show unmistakable references to the elaborate costumes she resourced for celebrities, exhibitions, film, and theatre during her time in London.
While these early works embody her pain at being so far from home, more recent works have a lighter feel, reflecting a healing. In these, she captures the lushness and colour of the native bush, waterways, and ocean – regular sanctuaries. A delicate use of gold lustres hints at rays of light peeking through the bush and shimmering on the water.
Satunas’ most recent works reflect her dreams of one day living in Italy, a country of contrasts. A series of wall pieces references vine-covered ancient walls, with her sculptures offering a nod to the avant-garde.