A new permanent exhibition, Art of India, is on view in the Asian Art Gallery of the Art Museum RIGA BOURSE in Riga (Doma laukums 6) from 23 October 2024.
From 23 October 2024
Art Museum RIGA BOURSE /
Asian Art Gallery (3rd floor)
Doma laukums 6, Riga
Media tour of exhibition on 22 October 2024 at 11.00
Registration of participants: 10.30–11.00
Indian civilization has a multi-layered history that goes back more than five millennia. It is defined by its diversity of ethnicities, cultures, languages, faiths, arts, and crafts preserved from generation to generation.
The Latvian National Museum of Art collection has more than 500 objects of Indian material culture. Every item is an intricate work of art with elaborate ornamentation, motifs, symbols, stories, and designs.
During the creation of the exhibition, a study of the history of its formation was conducted, as well as a review of the terminology related to Indian art, and in collaboration with the Indian research institution Eka Archiving Services (New Delhi) a complete contextualization of the collection was carried out. Thus, the display provides an opportunity to get acquainted with the objects from the source community’s point of view, avoiding reproducing colonial ideas by moving away from othering and looking at items in an exoticized light.
Art and crafts are very present in every aspect of Indian life and culture be it people’s households, religion and rituals, clothing, or accessories. The exposition was created in cooperation with the Indian community living in Latvia. The result of this collaboration can be seen both in the selection of objects and in video stories, where community members talk about their culture, share memories, and look for connections with works in the museum’s collection.
A children’s guide Follow the Elephants! has been created especially for this exhibition to help them better explore the Indian culture.
Exhibition curator:
Kristīne Milere
Exhibition Curator /
Art Museum RIGA BOURSE /
Latvian National Museum of Art
Ph: (+371) 60 001 344
E:
Exhibition design:
Dace Džeriņa
Artist
Research:
Eka Archiving Services Pvt. Ltd. /
New Delhi, India
Special thanks to Pramod Kumar KG, Anita Jacob Koshy and Aishwarya A. Kirit
Video:
Reinis Ūbelis
Community:
Abu Sohail Rehman Anwer, Arpita Chakravarty, Gokul Manju Santhosh, Jagriti Kakar, Kully Singh, Neha Singh, Pranita Singh, Preetha Ramachandran, Rachna Puneet Ratna, Ravi Solanki, Samir Singh, Shantala Priyadrshini, Shruti Vegi, Simran Singh, Umesh Sharma, Yogesh Sharma
Collection history research:
Baiba Uburģe
Curator of Foreign Decorative and Applied Arts Collection /
Art Museum RIGA BOURSE /
Latvian National Museum of Art
Graphic design:
Kristīne Jansone
Visual Communication Specialist /
Art Museum RIGA BOURSE /
Latvian National Museum of Art
Exhibition installation:
Emīls Eduards Murziņš
Kārlis Verners Baumanis /
Art Museum RIGA BOURSE /
Latvian National Museum of Art
Restoration and conservation:
Una Kastanovska, Tabita Lapiņa, Elza Lapiņa, Iveta Priede, Rasma Lezdiņa, Aina Gailiša, Inita Smila, Natalya Kurganova, Inita Ēmane, Indra Tuņa, Anna Kozorovicka, Inta Tiltiņa, Auce Purmale /
Latvian National Museum of Art
Collection preparation for display:
Baiba Uburģe, Eduard Dorofeyev, Ilana Pārstrauta, Valentīna Opolā, Zane Lūse, Laura Vilka, Arvils Vilkaušs / Latvian National Museum of Art
Development of a children’s guide:
Kristīne Milere, Ieva Velberga, Nikola Rundāne /
Art Museum RIGA BOURSE /
Latvian National Museum of Art
Special thanks:
Ambassador of the Republic of India to Sweden and Latvia (2021–2024) H.E. Mr. Tanmaya Lal, Māra Lāce, Daiga Upeniece, Vita Birzaka, Ksenia Rudzīte, Reinis Joņins, Sigma Ankrava, Anete Brakša, Vents Zvaigzne, Jānis Frišvalds, Rūdolfs Cunskis, Ioanna Kordali
