Art and Creative Works Exhibitions at the Branches of the Latgale Central Library

In September, the libraries of Daugavpils invite visitors to discover a wide variety of exhibitions, from summer-inspired paintings and horse photographs to the history of Daugavpils press, Latgalian mythology, children’s creative works, and an unusual frog collection.

At Piekraste Library (40 Aveņu Street), from 1 September to 29 October, the joint painting exhibition “A Colorful Touch of Summer” by participants of the art studio “I.V. Darbnīca” is on view. The exhibition features works by Jekaterina Šnaidere, Nelly Bogdanova, Marina Parfenoviča, Jeļena Griņeviča, Svetlana Goreva, and Ināra Katina, revealing the richness of summer colors, the splendor of flowers, and the play of light.

The art studio “I.V. Darbnīca” has been operating in Daugavpils for nine years under the guidance of artist and teacher Inga Vasiļjeva. The studio participants, while improving their painting skills and developing their individual artistic style, devote themselves to painting with great enthusiasm and creative interest. The exhibition presents works created in pastel and mixed media, also using watercolor. The paintings reveal their view of nature and summer mood, allowing visitors to see each author’s unique feeling of summer. The exhibition “A Colorful Touch of Summer” invites viewers to pause for a moment, feel the beauty of simple things, and remember warm summer days.

The exhibition opening and meeting with the authors will take place on 4 September at 4:00 p.m.

At Jaunbūve Library (161 18. novembra Street), from 8 September to 24 October, the photo exhibition “In the Power of the Horse, the Spirit of the People, the Breath of Freedom Resounds Within Us” by the association “Stāstnīca” is on view. In their works, the exhibition creators portray horses as a symbol of strength, beauty, grace, and freedom. The horse holds an important place in Latvian culture, appearing in Latvian folk songs, mythology, and modern life. In the photographs, the image of the horse is revealed anew, telling of strength, peace, trust, and harmony. The exhibition invites visitors to stop, breathe, and feel the breath of freedom that lives within each of us.

From 8 September to 24 October, visitors to Jaunbūve Library are also invited to explore the Latgale Central Library local history exhibition “The History of the Daugavpils Press,” which offers a look at the beginnings and development of the city’s printed press over 126 years. The first newspaper in Daugavpils (Dvinsk), “Dvinskij Listok,” was published on 30 April 1900 (Old Style). The first regular newspaper in Latvian, “Daugavas Vēstnesis,” began publication in Daugavpils in 1924. It launched the tradition of Latvian-language newspapers in the city. The exhibition makes it possible to view the first page of the first issue of the first Daugavpils newspaper and old photographs, learn about the chronology of Daugavpils periodicals and the city’s modern press, and read interesting advertisements about newspaper boys (early 20th century), among other information. The exhibition materials have been compiled from books, newspapers, local history folders, and other sources available in the LCB collection.

At Gaismas Library (9 Gaismas Street), until 31 October, on view is the diploma work of the graduate of the MIKC DDMV Saules School Children’s Art School, “Erased Personalities,” by Vasilisa Sokolova. The exhibition features six paintings that reveal the impact of addiction on a person’s personality. Each work shows how harmful habits and neglect of oneself gradually change a person’s inner world. The main idea of the exhibition is to remind us that every person’s personality is beautiful and valuable, but addiction can overshadow that beauty. The works are done in mixed media, watercolor and liner.

At Pārdaugava Library (2 Komunālā Street), until 19 September, the series of works “The Magic Portrait of Latgale” by Daugavpils artist and art teacher Alīna Petkūne is on view. Drawing inspiration from Latgale’s antiquity, mythology, and its magical heritage, the author has created a series of works in a distinctive technique. The stove ash used in the works symbolically connects us with our ancestors, the family nest, and the transience of a moment. Since the artist’s main form of expression is portraiture, the central figure in this collection is also a human being, the keeper of culture, memory, and inner strength.

Until 19 September, Pārdaugava Library also hosts the exhibition of creative works by young users, “The Fruits of Summer Adventures,” which brings together the brightest moments of the past summer, characters inspired by books, and the flight of children’s imagination. The colorful works reflect the enthusiasm, skill, and love of reading of the younger generation, created during summer weekly events and workshops. The exhibition is a heartfelt testament to how fruitful, inspiring, and beautiful a summer spent in the library can be.

At Čiekuri Library (5-1B Čiekuru Street, Apartment 13), from 1 to 30 September, the exhibition “Frog Happiness” from the private collection of the library’s longtime reader Žanna Deniņa is on view.

Her passion for collecting frogs began quite by accident. Once, her brother brought her a funny frog figurine from abroad. That little souvenir sparked an interest, and gradually one frog was joined by another, then another. What began as a chance purchase turned into an exciting collecting hobby.

But Žanna has always liked frogs. She finds these creatures funny, charming, and a little mysterious. In addition, in many places the frog is considered a symbol of wealth, prosperity, and financial luck. Perhaps that is why one can never have too many frogs?

At present, Žanna’s collection includes more than 50 different frogs. They are made from a wide variety of materials, and each has its own appearance and character, from serious and dignified to playful and mischievous, from very small to impressively large frogs.