GOLD: exhibition from the collection of Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre

From 7^th till 9^th September the exhibition “Gold” from Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre painting collection will be shown in Madona Museum of Local History and Art.

The painting collection of Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre, which is mainly comprised of artwork from the annual international painting symposium “Mark Rothko” and donations by individual artists, is the centre’s treasure trove whose worth is truly gold-like. Five years into existence, the Rothko Centre has become rich in exceptional artwork that captures emotions and impressions, meetings and conversations. When paintbrush touches canvas, it leaves a historic legacy – a permanent value that helps the art centre perform its vital role of shaping the cultural and artistic processes of today.

The art centre’s painting collection is remarkably diverse in terms of artists’ geographical backgrounds, preferred materials and techniques. Quite a few works evince a wish to experiment with contemporary art, which, at times, can make their storage and preservation challenging. Still, artwork created in traditional media such as oil or acrylic on canvas is predominant in the collection and retains its value over time. Each work reflects the artist’s individual style and takes the form characteristic of a specific school of painting. Thus, laconicism and clarity alternates with expressiveness and boldly exuberant colouring.

The exhibition “GOLD” displays only a fraction of more than 500 works currently stored in the collection. They were created in the course of the last fourteen years by artists who have drawn inspiration from the art of the world-renowned Daugavpils-born artist Mark Rothko and from the charming atmosphere of his birthplace. A number of works were received as tokens of respect from individual artists. The exhibition is a herald to the 14th international painting symposium “Mark Rothko 2018”, which will celebrate the 115th anniversary of the great artistic genius, Mark Rothko.

The exhibition features artwork by fourteen artists from nine countries: Karen Hansen (the USA), Viktorija Krupska, Aleksejs Ļitvins (Belarus), Beatrice Gelmetti (Italy), Merav Shinn Ben-Alon (Israel), Carol Bernier (Canada), Romualds Gibovskis, Silva Linarte, Anita Meldere, Guna Millersone, Baiba Priedīte (Latvia), Erin Lawlor (Great Britain), Anna Podlewska-Polit (Poland), Erdmute Blach (Germany).