Zane Balode expressed an interest in art and painting when still a child. She graduated from the Janis Rozentals Art School in Riga, then received her MA from the Art Academy of Latvia and later continued studies at the University of Porto. To date Zane has had five personal exhibitions.
Connoisseurs of art already paid attention to Zane’s works when she was studying at the Academy. Her paintings enjoyed success at the charity exhibition “Fair”, which is traditionally held at the Art Academy of Latvia on Christmas Eve. This unique artistic feast unites students, alumni and lecturers of the Art Academy. Numerous connoisseurs of art attend the fair with pleasure and acquire works of young painters.
During her early period Zane Balode worked in a very recognisable individual manner – in a light range of pinkish, bluish and pale colours. She created city landscapes, seascapes and figurative compositions.
At the current exhibition, we will see a different Zane Balode – the presented practically objectless, minimalistic and strict works continue the cycle of miniatures “Islands”, which were exhibited in Riga last summer. The artist feels that the subject has not been exhausted with miniatures, and therefore now we can see a continuation of the cycle, which has been supplemented with larger format oil-paintings.
The creative art of Zane Balode is now distinguished with precisely adjusted forms and an intention to eliminate everything redundant and insignificant. The characteristic features of her current works are clean lines and colours, as well as a clear composition. “Islands” is a story about a creative pursuit for expressive purity and metaphoricity; it is a sort of self-portrait of the artist’s soul. It is a very personal and well thought over intention of the painter to express her emotions, feelings and experiences regarding issues which are of importance to her. This is rather a visualisation of emotions and reflection of the real world in her artistic space. At the same time, her works are distinguished with good organisation and distinctness; they suggest a meditative, personal and harmonious perception and require the spectators to tune their inner mood to the creative wave of the author.
As Zane says, “Every picture reflects certain stories, events and feelings. Pictures can be read like books.” And we can add – read attentively.
The exhibition will be open until 6 February on weekdays from 9:00 till 18:00. Admission, as always, is free.
Address: Headquarters of Rietumu Bank – Rietumu Capital Centre, 7 Vesetas Street, Riga.