Rothko Museum Turns Twelve
At 4 p.m. on Friday, 25 April, the Rothko Museum will mark its twelfth birthday by unveiling three catalogues of the spring season’s exhibition projects and celebrating their contributors.
The Rothko Museum (originally – the Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre) opened its doors to the public on 24 April 2013 as one of the 21st century’s most ambitious cultural projects in Eastern Europe. Now a state-accredited museum with a spectacular home in the historic artillery arsenal of the Daugavpils Fortress, it continues to develop as a multifunctional hub for contemporary art, culture, and education.
In the museum’s permanent exhibition, original paintings by Mark Rothko, renowned as one of the 20th century’s most influential artists, take pride of place. As of now, the Rothko Museum is the only space in Europe to have a permanent retrospective room of original Rothkos, with up to six pieces by the legendary pioneer of colour field painting permanently on display. The Rothko room traces the artist’s entire evolution, featuring paintings from all his creative periods. On loan from the Rothko family collection, they are rotated every three years.
The museum’s collection has grown to over three thousand artworks across various mediums, featuring Latvian and international artists whose creativity unfolds as a contemporary take on the modernist tradition.
In addition to showcasing Rothko’s work, the museum holds four exhibition seasons per year, totalling up to 30 different projects across 2500 square metres of gallery space. These solo and group show projects trace current trends and developments in local and international art, offering a diverse and exciting range of experiences for art enthusiasts.
The Rothko Museum will celebrate its birthday at 4 p.m. on Friday, 25 April, by unveiling the spring season’s exhibition catalogues and thanking the artists for their contribution. The catalogues will commemorate the solo projects by Ritums Ivanovs (“Temple”) and Iveta Šmita (“Let the Forest Be a Forest”) as well as the annual group exhibition of Latgale’s artists featuring 49 contributors.
The evening’s programme will include a musical recital by Elīna Bambāne (piano), Dārta Stašāne (flute), and Luca Perlini, (flute).
Admission is free of charge.
Publicity image: Rothko Museum (photo by Didzis Grodzs)
