Ukrainians have what to bring to Latvian cultural life! Exhibition of contemporary Ukrainian artists in Riga.

An exhibition of contemporary Ukrainian artists is taking place in Riga from June 3 to July 15. Everyone is welcome to visit the exhibition at Aspazijas bulvaris 28, ES Maja, from Monday to Friday, 9 to 18.

The exhibition is organized by the Ukrainian gallery Galerie Les Noms in collaboration with ES Maja.  The opening ceremony was attended by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Republic of Latvia Olexandr Michenko and Head of the Representation of the European Commission in Latvia Zane Petre, the founder of the gallery "Galerie Les Noms" Jurij Gutsu and the young Ukrainian artist Maria Volina. The event was attended by Latvia's Minister of Welfare Gatis Jeglitis, the deputy head of the President's Office Solveiga Silkalne and the heads and representatives of the diplomatic missions in Latvia.

What can Riga residents and visitors see at the exhibition?

Firstly, works by the honored Ukrainian artists Volodymyr Afanasieff and Mykola Prokopenko, which have never before been exhibited in Latvia, but are well known in Europe. Their paintings depict the peaceful, prosperous life of the Ukrainian people as it has been before the war, a feeling of joy and fullness of being, enjoying the colours of the world.

Vladimir Afanasiev is called the Modigliani of Bessarabia. His paintings combine elements of realism, cubism, fauvism and folk art, the artist strives not for external accuracy, but for the maximum display of feelings, which he has while depicting portraits or phenomena.

Mykola Prokopenko's style is very recognizable - an energetic, plasmatic, Southern Ukrainian painting with its purely Odessa flavour, which combines folklore, mythology and kitsch.  The artist's brush portraits on show are sensual, corporeal, almost tangible and thought-provoking.

The exhibition also features works of young Ukrainian artist Mariia Volina (Mari Voli), most of which was created in Latvia where Mariia found refuge from war. Her works depict global crisis processes, such as war, economic crisis and pandemics, and give the viewer a powerful energy boost.  The artist's painting "Ukraine" is the headliner of the exhibition.

You can get a variety of different emotions at the exhibition, except the indifference. The  paintings at the exhibition encourage to live, to win, and to find ways out of difficult situations.