Ēriks Apaļais : Eriks Apalais' way of painting is reduced to simple brush strokes which reflect on the process of image making, and on representation in general. His paintings can be seen as visual grammar exercises with a naive and playful touch, where formalism merges with a fictional, nostalgic atmosphere. Testing the structures of memory he focuses on painting's fast and complex pictures that make the process of constructing an image transparent. Writing with brush strokes he proposes figurations that are usually abstracted through the medium of painting. In a way his paintings are like visual poems, where words being brush strokes create visual language bubbles. Ilze Avotiņa : Jānis Blanks : Jānis Blanks is one of the most unpredictable and mystical artists of his generation, who dwells in his own space, untouched by external circumstances and events. The artist paints deeply and solemnly, unhurriedly relishing the time devoted to the process of painting. The sources of Jānis Blanks’ inspiration are all around us – in nature, in human beings, in incidental intriguing events and dreams, which are converted into surrealist works of art through the force of the artist`s imagination. Kristans Brekte : Kristians Brekte is socially engaged artist who has participated in projects of various scale and already earned the reputation of a somewhat controversial creative figure. Brave depicting of differently perceived world which is plentiful of fantasy, is a base for the artist's various activities which have been infuriated numerous fellow citizens. The fact that he pretty often brakes the bounds between sacred and forbidden themes, partly derives from his experience of eager graffiti artist. The range of his artistic outlets is seemingly endless, from monumental ironic figurative compositions charged with powerful energy and seamlessly combining vast and free painting style, emphasized brutal brush strokes and local colour with brilliantly executed realistic representation in the stencil technique, to experiments in the area of organic sculpture. The dominating feel of the works is clear and easily recognizable: they deal with the line between the human and the animal realms, with death, the mythical element and sexuality. Kristiana Dimitere : "Kristiana`s art is live theatre, captured in mid-motion. The vivid colours conceal within themselves an omen of fate, which is also always present in the eyes of the characters and sometimes even outside of the picture." This description by the artist`s mother, legendary Latvian actress Vija Artmane, helps understand the complicated world of Kristiana Dimitere`s art. She`s equally comfortable sculpting, painting, drawing, illustrating, and creating stage sets and animations. The trump card of Kristiana Dimitere`s art is the plasticity of her shapes and the recognisable lines which tame the artist`s vibrant, fantastic characters so akin to the aesthetics of naïve art. Gints Gabrāns : The artist Gints Gabrans uses different media including found and ready-made objects, internet resources, videos of staged events, live performances, photographs and installations to unite art, science and esoteric practice in integrated process. In the large-scale photon paintings artist explores themes that remain in the ambiguous space between physics and metaphysics, observation and revelation. These artworks are left open for interpretation, but they certainly reveal there is more to the reality around us than meets the eye. Photon paintings provide an insight into the mysterious nature of microscopic processes of light’s electromagnetic wave interference, reveal the „dark” – invisible – side of light. A surface filled with traces left by photons (light quanta) is reminiscent of a landscape of a new world which, observed through the eyes of a landscapist, makes one feel like a discoverer of a parallel world. Kalvis Zuters : Kalvis Zuters endows his painted images with his life experience – an unusual and peculiar, carefully guarded private world with a certain dose of solitude. He is an artist capable of defending his creative space against the irritants of the saturated outside world for the "full-bloodied construction" of the life of his characters, materialised in metaphysical images. Barbara Gaile : Barbara Gaile is one of the more unorthodox representatives of Latvian contemporary art. The source and solution of her self-expression is in her thorough, complete and self-sufficient brand of minimalism. "Her abstractions are as abstract as a sea fragment influenced by numerous factors or an exotic leaf subjected to human touch and weather caprices. One should see in her works magnified fragments of a microscopic world or condensed and cartographic macro events, reflecting psychological, not material environment, retaining just the pleasure of human touch from the latter." / Art critic Helēna Demakova, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Latvia./ Kristaps Ģelzis : Ernests Kļaviņš : Miķelis Fišers : Miķelis Fišers is an artist whose installations, environment objects, performances and video art have for a long time been orientated towards the socially relevant processes in life, countering the universally accepted social norms and approved artistic values. In year 2006 Miķelis Fišers took by surprise the society with huge solo exhibition "Unpopulated" by which he invited to enjoy the magic of sensations experienced by an individual in the actual process of art, turning to the classic old fashioned method of plein air's painting. In the context of the 21st century, the age of unification, this speaks of his conscious choice of being different and displaying the irreal existence through the means of the natural landscape. Verners Lazdāns : The dominating view today is that nature should be protected and that living in harmony with nature is nice and generally the right thing to do. I wouldn’t say a word against that. However, when a city dweller comes into a close and prolonged contact with animate nature, - previously not quite as obvious - aspect may make itself noticeable. Dealing with that sort of experience, a person may start to feel threatened. A countryside forest, swamp or a river may seem primeval, incomprehensive, weird and strange. After more than a few hours in the outdoors, the initial excitement may be replaced by a definite urge to hop in the car and take the nearest – preferably the most even – road back to the familiar urban environment. At the same time, man takes a certain interest in nature, always attempting either to imitate or improve it to his own liking. In days of yore man often emulated animal hunting techniques; today we tend to borrow from nature various technical solutions (bionics). Every sort of social and political system could be invented simply by observing the goings-on in the animal kingdom. Animals can also be symbols of certain behavioural modes (clever as a fox, busy as a bee, etc.) – not to mention the great deal of attention animals are paid these days; they are being all but anthropomorphised. To me, the modern man’s highly alienated and simultaneously interested attitude toward nature seems a topical enough subject to explore it in my painting. The initial impulse for my humananimals is often found in nature - in some piece of rock, a fragment of old bone, a piece of wood and ore or even in a cloud. Nature formations provide significant contribution to my painting since working with them creates many associations. When I start painting them, they cease to be bones or clouds but creatures that I see in them and wish to develop further. Sometimes, I start with molding my fancy in stone-paste or other plastic material because it helps to build up a more spatial and colorable image when painting. I depict my peers not as real psychological portraits but metaphorical kinships such as animals and fictional creatures. They are animals the typical features of which may resemble human virtues and vices, as well as something experienced in nature. They become the capture of my subjective imagination and the way how I see the world. Verners Lazdans Reinis Virtmanis : Reinis Virtmanis` style is consistent and true to the object of his imagination – a mythical person N who possesses an air of fatality characteristic of Russian literature of the early 20th century, and lives out his life in the company of similar eccentric personages. The artist’s narrative is delivered in the style of English humour, through simple means of expression – restrained movement or even total absence of it, and vaguely outlined space, vital for the expansion of the character’s thoughts. This mythical personage can only communicate with a Homo sapiens of imagination and wit. Otto Zitmanis : Normunds Brasliņš : The uniqueness of Normunds Brasliņš lies in the fact that the unofficial history of Latvian contemporary painting features the term of "the school of Brasliņš". It is not a deliberately created institution; instead, it is a succession of followers strongly influenced by the distinctive creative handwriting of the artist, developing under the guidance of the young professor’s experience. The works of Normunds Brasliņš clearly show his affinity for the basic principles of the Renaissance as the golden age of art. The results of the artist’s long-lived interest and study are reflected in the sophisticated and deeply felt splendour of form, mainly evident in the images of fragile, feminine beings. Galerijas atklāšana 14.05.2005, Gallery opening 14.05.2005 Renesanse, Renaissance Psihedēlija Klusajā centrā 25.02. - 12.04.2006., Psychedelia in the Quiet Centre 25.02. - 12.04.2006. Atmiņas par Itāliju 05.06. - 20.08.2007., Memories of Italy 05.06. - 20.08.2007. Kristiana Dimitere. La bella bambina. 25.02. - 28.03.2008., Kristiana Dimitere. La bella bambina. 25.02. - 28.03.2008. Ēriks Apaļais. Stingrāko bērzu meklējot. 4.09. - 30. 09.2008., Ēriks Apaļais. Being After the Stiffest Birch-Tree. 4.- 30.09.2008. Reinis Virtmanis. Stāsts par deviņām palmām jeb dārgumu meklētāji. 13.10. - 06.11., Reinis Virtmanis. Story Of Nine Palms or The Treasure Hunters. 13.10. - 06.11. BERLINER LISTE 2008 29.10. - 02.11.2008., BERLINER LISTE 2008 29.10. - 02.11.2008. Miķelis Fišers. Pie jauniem vārtiem. 12.11. - 05.12.2008., Miķelis Fišers. In Front of the New Gates. 12.11. - 05.12.2008. Kristaps Ģelzis. Home Video. 10.12.2008. - 30.01.2009., Kristaps Ģelzis. Home Video. 10.12.2008. - 30.01.2009. Kristians Brekte. Mani dzīvnieki [ Alerģija ] . 27.02. - 17.04.2009, Kristians Brekte . My Animals [ Allergy ]. 27.02. - 17.04.2009 Aukstā māksla. 27.04. - 15.05.2009., Cool Art . 27.04. - 15.05.2009. NEXT 2009 Čikāga 30.04. - 04.05.2009., NEXT 2009 Chicago 30.04. - 04.05.2009. ARTVILNUS `09 08.07.- 12.07. 2009., ARTVILNUS `09 08.07.- 12.07. 2009. 24.08. - 18.09. Verners Lazdāns .Kaimiņi, 24.08 - 18.09 Verners Lazdans. Neighbors , Kristīne Kursiša. Ārpus kontroles 26.09. - 22.10. 2009., Kristīne Kursiša. Out Of Control. 26.09. - 22.10. 2009. Mūsu laika ikonas 27.10. - 14.12.2009., Contemporary Icons 27.10. - 14.12.2009. Līva Pakalne.Smalkās apmātības.21.12.09.-29.01.10., Līva Pakalne. Subtle Obsessions .21.12.09.-29.01.10. ARCOmadrid 2010 . Gints Gabrans 17. - 21.02. 2010., ARCOmadrid 2010 . Gints Gabrans 17. - 21.02.2010. Otto Zitmanis. Personālizstāde. 26.02. - 25.02.2010, Otto Zitmanis. Solo show. 26.02. - 25.02.2010 Jānis Blanks. Personālizstāde. 27.03. - 30.04.2010., Jānis Blanks. Solo show. 27.03. - 30.04.2010. Ilze Avotiņa. Laimes Lācis. 06.05. - 08.07.2010., Ilze Avotiņa. Bear of Happiness. 06.05. - 08.07.2010. SKATIENS IZSLĒGTS. 15.07. - 27.08. 2010., A LOOK SWITCHED OFF. 15.07. - 27.08. 2010.