Jānis Avotiņš: Distances at Riga Bourse Art Museum
Latvian artist Jānis Avotiņš showcases his solo exhibition titled 'Distances' at the former Riga Stock Exchange, now known as Mākslas muzejs RĪGAS BIRŽA. This exhibition includes fourteen small-format paintings alongside a central wooden piece named 'Bureaucracy,' which illustrates constellations. Drawing inspiration from black-and-white photographs from the 1920s, Avotiņš employs thin paint on rough canvas to convey themes of timelessness and solitude. The artworks remain untitled, highlighting the theme of hidden identities. The original photographs featured scenes of scouts, shoppers, soldiers, and pedestrians. Avotiņš, who earned his BA and MA from the Art Academy of Latvia, has been exhibiting globally since 2004. His pieces are part of the Latvian National Museum of Art and various private collections. The exhibition is open until August 23, 2026.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Distances' by Jānis Avotiņš at Mākslas muzejs RĪGAS BIRŽA in Riga.
- Venue is the former Neo-Renaissance stock exchange hall.
- Fourteen small-format recent paintings on freestanding wall blocks.
- Central wooden object 'Bureaucracy' with constellation-pierced typewriter pages.
- Paintings based on 1920s black-and-white photographs from Latvia's independence era.
- Minox camera invented by Walter Zapp in Riga used for source photos.
- All works untitled; figures anonymous and decontextualized.
- Avotiņš represented by IBID Gallery, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Vera Munro Gallery, AKINCI Gallery.
- Works in collections of François Pinault, Charles Saatchi, Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Rubell Family Collection.
- Recipient of Jean-François-Prat Art Prize in Paris.
- Exhibition runs until August 23, 2026.
Entities
Artists
- Jānis Avotiņš
- Edward Hopper
- Walter Zapp
Institutions
- Mākslas muzejs RĪGAS BIRŽA
- Art Academy of Latvia
- University of Manchester
- IBID Gallery
- Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle
- Vera Munro Gallery
- AKINCI Gallery
- Latvian National Museum of Art
- Rubell Family Collection
Locations
- Riga
- Latvia
- London
- Los Angeles
- Munich
- Hamburg
- Amsterdam
- Paris
- United States
- Japan