The universe is an endless interaction. Phenomena, objects, signs and humans are deeply interconnected. At times, this link is short-lived, ephemeral, seemingly transient, but ever so often, it becomes something lasting, creative and stimulating.
Silva Linarte (1939-2018), artist and art educator, had and continues to have a special connection to Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre. Not only because she was born in Daugavpils district and inherited a familial connection to Latgale region, but also because she has been constantly present in its activities and undertakings ever since the centre opened its doors to the public. In August 2013, one of the all-time largest solo exhibitions of Silva Linarte’s paintings, “Reflections”, was unveiled at the Rothko Centre, followed by further cooperation in multiple art projects. Silva also loved to pay the centre a casual visit, drop by to see the new exhibitions, talk to the staff and give her own take on what she had seen. She used to say that the centre had a particularly creative and artistically rousing environment.
In view of Silva Linarte’s outstanding contribution to the Latvian art scene, Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre has committedly amassed an assemblage of her paintings and continues to replenish it with new acquisitions. The artist’s paintings evince a delicate and sensuous take of the surroundings, achieved with the hallmarks of her painterly style: lightness of hand, characteristic mistiness and crisp accents which cannot be compared to any of her predecessors. In 2016, the artist received the Jāzeps Pīgoznis Award as “the finest in Latvian landscape painting”. In 2018, she was decorated with the Cross of Recognition of the Republic of Latvia for lifetime contribution to Latvian culture and art education.
In full awareness of the uniqueness of Silva Linarte’s artistic legacy and with a view to promoting interest in Daugavpils as an artistically stimulating city, in 2019 Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre organises the first international painting symposium “Silva Linarte 2019”. It will bring together as participants Sven Drobnitza (Sweden), Gomez Rodriguez Gonzalo (Spain), Anna Abidina (Russia), Guna Millersone (Latvia), Agata Czeremuszkin-Chrut (Poland), Giedrė Riškutė (Lithuania), Oksana Vronska (Latvia).
Zane Melāne