Mākslinieki

Jekabpils Plain Air 2008

August the 25^th was the opening date of the exhibition Jekabpils Plain Air 2008 in the Art Gallery Mans’s with the presence of a large number of visitors, mass media representatives and guests. Ten artists, half of them representing the new generation, created more than 50 works in seven days. The organizer of the Plain Air — town council of Jekabpils — did not promote a strict demand for the painters to stick to one specific genre but allowed them their artistic freedom. The river Daugava and old historical buildings were the main objects of inspiration for the landscapes of Roberts Muzis, Jazeps Pigoznis, Neonilla Medvedeva, Zane Balode, Karina Rungenfelde. Tatjana Krivenkova got inspiration for her abstract paintings from Struve’s park and its point of meridian. Dace Lapina has stuck to her favourite genre of still lives and chosen the panorama of the town for the background. Janis Purcens has tried to catch a glimpse of Jekabpils both from down to up as well as from the fly of a bird; the result of which is a very expressive image of the town. Not stepping back from her favourite monochromatic colour gamut Patricija Brekte has created very interesting paintings. There is contrast between her paintings and those of Anita Meldere’s expressive colour spots inspired by the mystery of the town. Also the rector of the Academy of Art Aleksejs Naumovs found a possibility to visit Jekabpils for a day and paint a painting, what you can also see in the exhibition. To make the exhibition more colourful the artists had painted several paintings already before.

During the press conference the old master Jazeps Pigoznis complimented the format of the Plain Air where the old generation artists could work together with the young ones. That makes the old guys to pull their socks up and gives a good chance to the youngsters to learn from the experienced.

During the opening of the exhibition the town mayor Leonids Salcevics expressed his appreciation for the many surprisingly interesting and professional pieces of art created during the Plain Air.

Many thanks were expressed to the town council- the organizer of the Plain Air, Valda Priekule- public relation specialist, Uldis Camanis- director of the Art Gallery Mans’s. It was pointed out by the participants of the Plain Air that they had spent the time of the Plain Air under perfect conditions allowing them to work and relax. Uldis Camanis mentioned that, the ten participants of the Plain Air were not simply artists but real stars as painters as well as personalities.

V. Priekule evaluated the Plain Air as successful. The local government will own 10 paintings, one from each painter (it was mentioned in the mutual agreement signed before) but possibly even more because some of the artists have expressed their wish to present to the local government all their works painted during the Jēkabpils Plain Air. It is already known that some of the paintings will go to Jēkabpils Art School and Agro- Business College for their help in organizing the Plain Air.

V. Priekule emphasized that there is a plan to make Plain Airs annual events and give the possibility also to the local artists and art school students to be involved.