The art on display at exhibition opening for Latvian Art in Exile evoked a variety of emotions from those who attended the opening night on March 4th.
Ambassador Andrejs Pildegovics thought the art on display ultimately portrayed hope: “You can see a lot of sorrow in them, but on the other hand, you can also see the optimism.”
Exhibition curator and Global Society for Latvian Art representative Lelde Kalmite has an intimate connection to most of the pieces in the room. “I got the opportunity to work with many of the artists’ families, and we spent a lot of time getting to know the about the art together,” she said. “These kinds of connections are the fundamental reason I put so much energy into getting this art seen.”
Mrs. Kyllike Sillaste-Elling, Deputy Chief of Mission to Estonia, couldn’t help but compare the Latvian diaspora art with that of her country: “I feel that Estonian exile art is much more serious and introverted, and the themes are more black and white. But it all comes down to how people choose to remember the land where they came from, in spite of the things they go through after they leave.”
Also in attendance was Peteris Dajevskis, the son of featured artist Evalds Dajevskis. He explained how his father had climbed to the top of steeple in Hamburg, Germany so that he could paint the scene of the street the moment the lights were turned back on in the town. He wanted to capture the excitement of main street and the relief that was in the air.
Receiving similar insight into the art on display was a rare experience those in attendance enjoyed. The most significant piece, according to Mrs. Kalmite, was not one of the paintings but in fact the wooden crate being used for display purposes. It was the same wooden crate her family had used to move all of their possessions to America in 61 years ago. She has had it with her ever since.
Ambassador Pildegovics believes that diaspora art is still relevant to the struggles of Latvia. “We are now part of the EU because people like these artists were able to keep the flame of freedom alive. The art here was made during the most hopeless period of our nation’s history—right up until the end of WWII—but somehow creative people continued to produce incredible works of art despite the dire and trying conditions. As a Nation we can forever draw upon these works for inspiration.”
The exhibit will be open at the Art Space of the Embassy of Latvia through April 2. For more information: http://www.latvia-usa.org/exlaartinex1.html
Left: Mother Latvia by Leo Stepe. The exhibition will be on display at the Embassy of Latvia through April 2.
Right: Latvian Ambassador Pildegovics explains of this piece painted in 1950 by Niklavs Strunke, "you can see a lot of despair and sorrow, but you can also see a lot of hope and optimism represented by the emerging light."
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Latvian Art in Exile
March 9, 2011
The art on display at exhibition opening for Latvian Art in Exile evoked a variety of emotions from those who attended the opening night on March 4th.
Ambassador Andrejs Pildegovics thought the art on display ultimately portrayed hope: “You can see a lot of sorrow in them, but on the other hand, you can also see the optimism.”
Exhibition curator and Global Society for Latvian Art representative Lelde Kalmite has an intimate connection to most of the pieces in the room. “I got the opportunity to work with many of the artists’ families, and we spent a lot of time getting to know the about the art together,” she said. “These kinds of connections are the fundamental reason I put so much energy into getting this art seen.”
Mrs. Kyllike Sillaste-Elling, Deputy Chief of Mission to Estonia, couldn’t help but compare the Latvian diaspora art with that of her country: “I feel that Estonian exile art is much more serious and introverted, and the themes are more black and white. But it all comes down to how people choose to remember the land where they came from, in spite of the things they go through after they leave.”
Also in attendance was Peteris Dajevskis, the son of featured artist Evalds Dajevskis. He explained how his father had climbed to the top of steeple in Hamburg, Germany so that he could paint the scene of the street the moment the lights were turned back on in the town. He wanted to capture the excitement of main street and the relief that was in the air.
Receiving similar insight into the art on display was a rare experience those in attendance enjoyed. The most significant piece, according to Mrs. Kalmite, was not one of the paintings but in fact the wooden crate being used for display purposes. It was the same wooden crate her family had used to move all of their possessions to America in 61 years ago. She has had it with her ever since.
Ambassador Pildegovics believes that diaspora art is still relevant to the struggles of Latvia. “We are now part of the EU because people like these artists were able to keep the flame of freedom alive. The art here was made during the most hopeless period of our nation’s history—right up until the end of WWII—but somehow creative people continued to produce incredible works of art despite the dire and trying conditions. As a Nation we can forever draw upon these works for inspiration.”
The exhibit will be open at the Art Space of the Embassy of Latvia through April 2. For more information: http://www.latvia-usa.org/exlaartinex1.html
Left: Mother Latvia by Leo Stepe. The exhibition will be on display at the Embassy of Latvia through April 2.
Right: Latvian Ambassador Pildegovics explains of this piece painted in 1950 by Niklavs Strunke, "you can see a lot of despair and sorrow, but you can also see a lot of hope and optimism represented by the emerging light."
