From October 11 to November 9, 2024 the solo exhibition of the prominent Latvian artist Helēna Heinrihsone, is open at the Latvian National Museum of Literature and Music (LNMLM) in Riga. The show “Wanderers”, curated by Auguste Petre, raises the internal conflict between human feelings and sense. Through the exhibition, visitors will be able to visit the LNMLM premises at Mārstaļu Street 6 for the first time, where the museum’s exhibition “Procrastination and Creation” will be opened in 2025.
Wanderers, nomads, thinkers. At a time when the ability to communicate and converse emerges as one of the fundamental values of existence, objective reality demonstrates the disappearance of this skill in society. Individualism often turns into egoism and unwarranted, tense competition. Tension creates misunderstandings in relationships, rushed movements, and heightened emotions. We see each other as images.
Helēna Heinrihsone’s art has always been a subtle visual observation, documenting and analysing surrounding/outside events through a feminine perspective, almost as in a diary. In her new works, Heinrihsone continues to bring attention to the inner conflict between human emotions and the mind. The figurative compositions reveal the importance of physical contact in forming relationships. The protagonists of her new paintings are primates; their silhouettes and portraits remind us of existential themes that have long been important to the artist. Movement and facial expressions seem to clearly indicate the physical belonging of these figures, yet Heinrihsone’s abstract painting allows for interpretation of perception and meaning. The primate becomes a symbol of life and coexistence. In certain episodes, they are surrounded not only by electrifying colour but also by roses, which have defined beauty in Helēna’s art since the early 1990s.
Wanderers can be both allies and outside observers. Accidental presences and creations of the imagination. In Heinrihsone’s work, they mark a new turning point – a distinctly psychological portrayal that now reflects not only individual experiences and the place of the primate/human/rose today, but also the impact of international social events on contemporary society. The figures, gazes, feelings, and the context of the pulsating pure colour in Helēna Heinrihsone’s paintings reflect the time and way of thinking of today.
Helēna Heinrihsone (born 1948, Riga) has been active in the art scene since the 1970s and is one of the most noteworthy Latvian artists. The theme of interpersonal human relationships has always dominated in her works, she also explores the inner world of women and depicts the psychological aspects of social processes. Heinrihsone has described her method as “representational painting of pure colour” where colour plays a central role in revealing the content and idea behind her works.
Opening hours on time slots with prior registration:
Tuesdays – Thursdays: 12 PM, 3 PM, 6 PM.
Fridays – Saturdays: 1 PM, 3 PM, 5 PM, 7 PM.
Register here: https://biletes.rmm.lv/lv/timeslots/view/57/10/2024
Curator: Auguste Petre
Visual identity: Estere Betija Grāvere
Spatial solutions: Anna Heinrihsone
Producer: Kristiāna Bērza
Curator’s assistant: Anete Liepiņa
Latvian National Museum of Literature and Music
Director: Iveta Ruskule
Head of exhibition “Procrastination & Creation” at Mārstāļu 6: Elīna Drulle
Head of the Communications and Marketing Department: Ilona Matvejeva
Communication project manager: Paula Peredistaja
Deputy director for administrative and legal affairs: Ilgvars Imša
Text: Auguste Petre
Photography: Kristīne Madjare
Supporters of the exhibition:
Riga City Council Education, Culture and Sports Department, State Culture Capital Foundation, Signet Bank, Novum Riga Charitable Foundation, Magnum NT, Clear Channel, JCDecaux, Kalve Coffee, RDG, Vilhelms.
Technology Partner: Samsung
Informative supporter: Arterritory.com
