I’M IN THE HOUSE
Jekaterina Griškjāne (Latvia)
Locked in the darkest time of year – the season of remembrance – we tend to think more often of the people we have lost. Our thoughts are lingering in their eternal resting place. Perhaps imagining a darling little house where they have found a home.
“I’m in the House” by Jekaterina Griškjāne, artist and children’s book illustrator, is deeply rooted in a painful loss and journey of acceptance – a young mind trying to make sense of the departure of someone near and dear. Jekaterina was only nine years old when her secure and happy world was shaken by the passing of her grandfather, who’d been her closest friend and confidant. Not really understanding what exactly death entailed, she felt it had to be a kind of final passage. This exhibition traces such a journey between two worlds. It focuses on coming face to face with death and navigating the rugged path towards acceptance.
With that, the exhibition is also about sharing a very personal and deeply felt experience. The artist has affectionately painted her childhood memories into a journey which a little girl takes hand in hand with her beloved grandfather as they both search for the one perfect “little house”, a safe and happy space where he can stay for all eternity. This way, the expedition makes it clear that death need not be feared because our loved ones will remain with us no matter what – by living in our hearts that will become their peaceful home.
Jekaterina Griškjāne, born in 1985 in Madona, Latvia, was raised in Varakļāni. After graduating from the Daugavpils Secondary School of Design and Art, she earned a professional BA in art and a graphic designer’s qualification from Daugavpils University. To date, Griškjāne has illustrated over forty children’s books in English, German, Russian, Spanish, and Danish. Published in Germany, Denmark, the United States, Russia, and Australia, they have earned recognition in multiple international competitions. Currently, the artist collaborates with Zvaigzne ABC, Latvia’s leading publishing house. At the end of the year, her first solo book, “I’m in the House”, featuring her own text and illustrations, will be published in Germany.
The artist’s website: https://artketdesign.dk
Exhibition duration: 29.11.2024–23.02.2025
Photo: Jekaterina Griškjāne, I’m in the House, mixed media, 230 x 270 cm, 2021
