The latest exhibition by the prominent Latvian artist Vija Zariņa, "Painted Nature. Winter.", will be on view at the Ola Foundation cultural space from 25 October this year.
Vija Zariņa: ‘’I have always wanted to paint the unspoken but sensed and visible. With oil paints on canvas. In my painting, I attach particular importance to the landscape. Not painted from nature, but inspired by nature. I call them landscapes of my feelings.
In their own way, my paintings are a transition from observation to narration. It is very important to me to paint inner peace and harmony. What matters to me is a precise feeling, not a precise place. In nature, I value looking at the world, capturing subtle nuances of light, noticing something special that makes me stop and look for a long time and reflect. The world's perpetual change and fascinating allure are what have always interested me. Through painterly means, I try to convey scents, wind, warmth and cold, the fragile, translucent light of evening calm and the restlessness of night, the mysterious feeling of twilight.
In this exhibition, too, I continue to draw inspiration from nature. At the centre of my attention is the Latvian landscape with its distances, broad horizons, fields and arable land, the shore and the sea. I want to paint it as clearly, simply, understandably and emotionally concisely as a folk song. I want my works to tell several stories - about everything important and valuable to me in art and life, and about enduring values. A work of art is a concentration of thought and energy, supplemented by knowledge, ability and the practice of bringing it to life. In art, I have always enjoyed sensing the timeless rather than what is temporarily topical. An artist must be an attentive observer.
This exhibition is a continuation of the series “Landscape Code. Painted Nature.” This time, winter.’’
Vija Zariņa is one of the most prominent representatives of Latvian contemporary art. She has created more than 30 solo exhibitions and is an associate professor at the Art Academy of Latvia. Her works are held in various museums and private collections in Latvia and abroad.
The exhibition at the Ola Foundation cultural space will be available to visitors from 25 October this year until 20 April 2025
