Pranas Daunys square in Kaunas

About object:

The square in Kaunas near Pranas Daunys Training Centre for the Blind and Visually impaired is renewed and meets its visitors with a resolutely striding figure. This sculpture was built in memory of Pranas Daunys, the pioneer of education for the blind and visually impaired, as well as the compiler of the Lithuanian Braille alphabet.
In order to make the square cosier, it was framed by a laconic fence of hammered metal elements. It was suggested to cover the wooden residential house and the intensive street with a fence of greenery. In order to emphasize the movement of the sculpture, it was tilted at the angle of 45°, as if indicating the direction of the movement.
The sculptural composition consists of two parts – the figure and the path – pedestal, ground against the side-walk blocks. The classical and a little taller than natural figure was cast of bronze, except for the stainless steel walking stick. The white colour of the metal creates a resemblance with the white cane used by the blind. When casting the sculpture, the sculptor has hidden a small text in Braille, which may be red by touching the sculpture. The second part of the composition is the path formed out of granite slabs and paving stones, which as if “crumble” into the Braille.

I. Garnyte – Sapranaviciene