On the right bank of the Lielupe River, in Priedaine—where pine trees once spread most densely and reached the highest into the sky—the contemporary art gallery Bastejs has found its home beneath the canopy of the forest. Once closely intertwined with the vibrant rhythm of the city’s cultural life, the gallery is now nestled in the calm embrace of nature, flowing in harmony with its surroundings. It continues to offer the joy of encountering art through exhibitions featuring some of the brightest stars of the Latvian contemporary art scene.
The gallery presents a thoughtfully curated exhibition program that showcases prominent contemporary artists from Latvia and the Baltic region, including Kristians Brekte, Sigita Daugule, Helēna and Ivars Heinrihsons, Frančeska Kirke, Irēna Lūse, Leonards Laganovskis, Ritums Ivanovs, Henrijs Preiss, Juris Utāns, Sergey Dyomin, Anita Meldere, Mark Sun Roz, and Artūrs Virtmanis.
The exhibition space is housed in the century-old home of gallery director Baiba Morkāne’s grandfather—a symbol of continuity, still marked by the worn carpenter’s workbench that remains in place. The building has been adapted for art displays, yet exhibitions often extend organically throughout the entire property, subtly blending into the surroundings.
Located on the right bank of the Lielupe, the gallery offers a breath of fresh air—both literally and figuratively. It provides a momentary, almost ethereal experience that brings visitors closer to nature while immersing them in the rhythm of contemporary art.
An exhibition in which artist Christian Brekte creates a visual dialogue with the works of Swiss symbolist Ferdinand Hodler (1853–1918), repainting their reproductions as a contemporary commentary on aesthetics, death and hidden anxiety.
Hodler’s sacred compositions become backgrounds for the grotesque, sexuality and post-symbolist drama – Brekte asks the question: what is the “holy hour” in a world dominated by chaos, deconstruction and fear of tomorrow? Ink strokes, occult references and symbols full of black irony turn the classic into a living and still provocative image.
Gallery opening hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday – closed; Thursday, Friday - from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday - from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
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