Jūrmala Museum to open three art exhibitions

Jūrmala Museum in Latvia is opening three art exhibitions: a selection of works by painter Hilda Vīka, graphic works by multimedia artist Arnis Martinelli, and works by Evija Freidenfelde on memory and humanity's relationship with the world. The shows run until January and February 2027, and admission to the museum is free.

Hilda Vīka. Nosargātā. Citādais

This exhibition opens the celebration of the painter's anniversary. It presents a selection of her works, much of which will be shown to the wider public for the first time. Many pieces were previously known only from reproductions in old illustrated magazines. The display is complemented by items that belonged to the painter, editions of her literary works and manuscripts. The exhibition links her legacy to Jūrmala through her connection with Ķemeri as a place of healing.

Vīka's work contains many autobiographical motifs and a distinctly feminine outlook. The image of woman is especially prominent, and the artist often gave it her own facial features. A notable place is given to Vidvuds Eglītis (1913–2003), son of the writer Viktors Eglītis, the painter's husband. He helped preserve Vīka's paintings and made sure they were exhibited. His own works are shown alongside hers.

The curators are Līvija Baumane-Andrejevska and Kristaps Laucis, with Marianna Lapiņa as exhibition artist. The works come from a private collection, the gallery Jēkabs and several museum collections.

My-thos/Mīti

Arnis Martinelli (born 1973) is a multimedia artist who earned a master's degree at the Art Academy of Latvia and has been a member of the Latvian Artists' Union since 1998. He also works in graphic design and original music, and has released more than ten albums. In his exhibition he reconstructs major European cultural myths as the interplay of three figures in a post-romantic, ironic form. The title plays on the sounds of "mythos" and "me too". The works are large-format graphics or posters in which figures appear as living sculptures.

Visuma diedzēšana

Evija Freidenfelde's exhibition, whose title refers to germinating the universe, is about memory that is stored not only in people but also in places, organisms and objects. The artist calls this space of relationships the Field of Memory. Her works use charcoal, graphite and pigment, and some of the processes are determined by the materials themselves.

Visuma diedzēšana and My-thos/Mīti will be on view until 10 January 2027, and Hilda Vīka. Nosargātā. Citādais until 21 February. The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00–18:00.