Anita Arbidane
Anita Arbidane is a very significant representative of a young generation of figurative painters. A 2008 graduate of the Art Academy of Latvia; Anita has been participating in exhibitions since 2004.
Anita has already gained recognition in Latvia. She awed the audience with her work “Renaissance; The President’s portrait with rabbit” which revealed the president of Latvia, Valdis Zatlers, dressed in a medieval gown with a rabbit on his lap. The painting, while controversial to some was received with sincere admiration.
Anita Arbidane’s work attracts attention with an aristocratic and intricate style of painting, along with sophisticated details and intriguing characters (for example, a woman holding a lobster as gently as an infant). The artist combines classical painting and historical flair with contemporary details; blending them so gently that it distorts the borders of each era and time.
Anita explains that, “Usually ideas and themes evolve from personal experiences and happenings around this society of close knit artists”. All of the motives have come from real life situations. The final work “The Meal” portrays an individual’s reach for better life, or “a thicker dollop of butter on a slice of bread”, yet there are always some forces that intrude, which in this case are the strings connected to the food in the hands of the characters. Many of the paintings include gastronomical virtues. “Although, the motives are personal to me, it is important to create a character that viewer could relate to or find intriguing”.
EDUCATION:
2006 – 2008 MA Programme at the Art Academy of Latvia; Faculty of Visual Plastic Arts
2002 – 2006 BA Degree at the Art Academy of Latvia; Faculty of Visual Plastic Arts; Specialising in Figurative Painting
1995 – 2002 Jāņa Rozentāla Rīgas Mākslas koledža (Janis Rozentals Riga College of Art)
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2009 August “Artist as Self” at Ivonna Veiherte Art Gallery, Riga
2006 September “Faces” at Art Gallery “Zelta Ābele” (“Golden Apple-tree”)
2006 August “A City in Riga” at “Mākslas Dārzs” (“Art Garden”)
2006 June “Circus” at art gallery “Istaba”
2005 September “Summer Scenes” at Art Gallery “Lita”
2005 February “Riga Waltz”, Art Gallery “Lita”
GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2007 Winner of Malahova “Landscape” scolarship
2007 ‘Erotic Tales’ at Art Gallery ‘Pirmais Stāvs’(‘First Floor’), Riga
2007 “With Love to Anna” charity exhibition at Art Gallery “First Floor”
2007 Masters’ Degree of Art Academy of Latvia exhibition at Art Gallery “First Floor”
2007 I. Zariņš scolarship exhibition at Art Gallery “Bastejs”
2006 Brederlo scholarship, exhibition at House of Mecendorf
2006 Exhibition “March” ar “House of Moscow”
2005 I. Zariņš scolarship exhibition at Art Gallery “Bastejs”
2005 “Remake”, Art Academy of Latvia
2004 Rudens 2004 (Autumn 2004), at the Latvian National Museum of Art, Exhibition Space ‘Arsenāls’, Riga
2004 “Small is Beautiful”, Art Gallery “Riga”