Rothko Museum’s curator Farida Zaletilo named Daugavpils’s Honorary Citizen
The city of Daugavpils has named the Rothko Museum’s exhibitions curator Farida Zaletilo its Honorary Citizen, recognising her outstanding contribution to the city’s cultural landscape and international reputation through “the Rothko project”, which has led to the Rothko Museum and a permanent presence of Rothko’s original art in his birthplace.
Farida Zaletilo is the visionary behind the Rothko Museum (formerly Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre). She was the project’s original driving force, concept co-author, and leader. In the early 2000s, she established the first connections with the Rothko family, securing their trust and commitment to provide Rothko originals for the emerging museum in the artist’s birthplace. Through her efforts, this extraordinary collaboration continues to thrive. Every three years, the Rothko Museum receives a new selection of previously unseen original works from the family’s collection, solidifying its status as the only cultural venue in Europe to offer a permanent retrospective showcase of Rothko’s original masterpieces.
So far, Farida has brought to Daugavpils 24 original artworks by Rothko. Crucially, in April 2023, on the occasion of the museum’s 10th anniversary, Farida’s long-standing friendship and partnership with the Rothko family resulted in the Rothko Museum receiving a precious gift of two original Rothkos (early period drawings) from the artist’s children and becoming the only museum in Eastern Europe to hold original artworks by Rothko in its collection.
At the same time, ever since the museum’s opening, Farida has continued to shape its artistic programme by curating world-class exhibitions that draw striking parallels between Rothko’s timeless legacy and the work of globally renowned artists. These spectacular projects have brought to the city thousands of visitors from Latvia and beyond, putting Daugavpils firmly on the global map as a powerful cultural magnet with a strong international pull.
Thus, through her extraordinary vision and dedication, Farida has transformed Daugavpils and the Rothko Museum into a cultural hub of national significance and European distinction and amplified the city’s global resonance through its most valued cultural icon – Mark Rothko.
Honorary Citizen is one of Daugavpils’s highest distinctions. Awarded by the city council once every five years, it celebrates outstanding contributions in culture, education, science, entrepreneurship, and other fields.
Publicity photo: Farida Zaletilo, Daugavpils’s Honorary Citizen
