Franceska Kirke

Painting is a field of surreptitious fortuity. It is a choice. Supposition. A game in which I set the rules and violate them. Painting means adventures, losses, discoveries. Gradually, bit by bit, discarding all superfluous matter, emerges the image, shade, line, light, silhouette, pieces of texture, containing a paraphrase of some thought. The tragic and grotesque situations recur. The image of a hero multiplied and reproduced many times becomes a travesty; a ridiculous small man may turn into a tragic image. I like to take a classical plot and turn it inside out, see what will become of it. To play the persecutor instead of the victim. Thus, I can entertain myself; I would willingly make a series from each of my works. The number of variants is infinite: one excluding the other, reducing the theme to absurdity. /KIRKE/

Works

Curriculum Vitae

Born in 1953 in Riga, Latvia 

 

EDUCATION

 

1985 - 1987 Latvian Academy of Art. Eduards Kalnins workshop 

1972 - 1978 Latvian Academy of Art. Riga, Latvia

1965 - 1972 Jānis Rozentāls Riga secondary school of Art. Riga, Latvia

 

EXHIBITIONS

 

Major solo:

 

2019 FRAGILE, Art Museum RIGA BOURSE

 

2018    

Transform, Gallery Bastejs, Riga, Latvia

Somebody, Art XO gallery, Riga, Latvia

 

2017

REVISE,Gallery Bastejs, Riga, Latvia

Revise, Gallery Raab, Berlin, Germany

 

2015

MODERN FAIRY TALES, Gallery BASTEJS, Riga, Latvia

 

2014

LA FIESTA. Gallery Maksla XO, Riga, Latvia

 

2013    

Digging the past. Gallery Bastejs, Riga, Latvia

 

2012    

New works. Gallery Sacchetti, Ascona, Switzerland 

Looking at 60ies. Mimi Fertz Gallery, New York, USA

 

2011    

FACE CONTROL. Gallery Bastejs, Riga, Latvia

 

2007    

Dedication to the Hermitage. Gallery NOMИ, Saint Petersburg, Russia

Museum Transit. Uldis Pilens`Office, Liepaja, Latvia

 

2006    

Private Mythology. Riga Gallery, Riga, Latvia

 

2004    

One. Gallery TT, Copenhagen, Denmark

 

2003    

The Vanishing. Riga Gallery, Riga, Latvia

Applied Art`.  Gallery Daugava, Riga, Latvia 

New and Old Works. Gallery Sachetti, Ascona, Switzerland

 

2002

Museum. Mimi Ferzt Gallery, New York, USA

Museum. Latvian National Museum of Art, Riga, Latvia

 

2000

Appropriated Images. Mimi Ferzt Gallery, New York, USA

 

1998

Impossible Meetings. Mimi Ferzt Gallery, New York, USA 

 

1997

Restoration. Gallery Bastejs, Riga, Latvia 

 

1995

InSearch of Lost Time. Riga Gallery, Riga, Latvia

Trajectory of Angels. Riga Gallery, Riga, Latvia 

 

1988

Dieter Hildebrandt Gallery, Hamburg, Germany 

Dieter Hildebrandt Gallery, Hamburg, Germany 

 

Selected group exhibitions:

 

2018

Language, Mukusala Art salon, Riga

 

2017    

Hyperrealism subject in Latvia, LVNM, Exhibition hall Arsenal, Riga

ART New York, Context Art Fair, Represented by Gallery Bastejs, New York

SCOPE Basel Art Fair, Represented by Gallery Bastejs, Basel, Switzerland

Art Zurich, Represented by Gallery Bastejs, Zurich, Switzerland

 

2016

START Art Fair at Saatchi gallery, Represented by Gallery Bastejs, London

The SOLO PROJECT, Represented by Gallery Bastejs, Basel, Switzerland 

International Art Fair Warsau, Represented by Gallery Bastejs, Warsaw 

 

2015

SCOPE NEW YORK Art Fair. Represented by Gallery Bastejs, New York, USA

SCOPE BASEL Art Fair.  Represented by Gallery Bastejs, Basel,  Switzerland

ART FAIR BUDAPEST, Represented by Gallery Bastejs, Budapest, Hungary

IMAGO MUNDI” LUCIANO BENETTON COLLECTION, CINI FOUNDATION, VENICE,Italy

PARAPHRASES. Latvian Culture projects, Gallery Vartai, Vilnius, Lithuania

Self-Portrait. Gallery XO, Riga, Latvia

 

2014

SCOPE BASEL Art Fair, Represented by Gallery Bastejs, Basel, Switzerland

SCOPE MIAMI BEACH Art Fair. Represented by Gallery Bastejs, Miami, USA

Humor. An exhibition of visual Wit. Mimi Fertz Gallery, New York, USA

Money Design. PIN Code. The Bank of Latvia, Museum of Ventspils Latvia

 

2013

Pink. Art XO Gallery, Riga, Latvia

Deceptive Silence. Uldis Pilens` Office, Museum of Liepaja, Latvia

Ls 20. Years of National Currency Art. The Bank of Latvia, Riga, Latvia

 

2012    

Berliner Liste, Represented by Gallery Bastejs, Berlin, Germany

Women.Space. Exhibition marking the anniversary of the Santa magazine,Riga, Latvia

 

2011

St-Art fair, Represented by Gallery Bastejs, Strasbourg, France

Hybrid Flights. Arsenals Exhibition Hall of LNMM, Riga, Latvia

Thick Space. Collection of Dr.Guntis Belēvičs. Arsenāls Exhibition Hall of LNMM, Riga, Latvia

Red. Mimi Fertz Gallery, New York, USA

 

2010

Red Dot Art Fair New York. Gallery Bastejs, New York, USA

Golden Works. Latvian National Museum of Art Exhibition Hall Arsenals, Riga,Latvia

Figure. Painting, Sculpture, Graphic. Gallery Daugava, Riga, Latvia

Art Moscow. Riga Gallery, Moscow, Russia

The Synergy Effect. Riga Gallery, the Museum of Jūrmala, Latvia

By the Amber Sea:1990-2010. Arsenal Exhibition Hall of LNMM, Riga, Latvia

 

2009

Scope Miami Art Show. Gallery Bastejs, Miami, USA

Paintings. Gallery Bastejs, Riga, Latvia

Painting on Wood. Gallery Bastejs, Riga, Latvia

Berliner Liste. Gallery Bastejs, Berlin, Germany

Tuareg Blue. Gallery Bastejs, Riga, Latvia

Artist. Portrait. Self-portrait. ARSENĀLS Exhibition Hall of LNMM, Riga, Latvia

 

2008

Contemporary Painting of Latvia. Organized by Gallery Daugava, Moye Museum, Vienna, Austria 

Art Moscow. Gallery Riga, Moscow, Russia 

Beauty. The Cēsis Art Festival, Cēsis, Latvia

Artemy Troicky's collection. Riga Gallery, Riga, Latvia 

 

2007

Echoes of Fauvism. Latvian National Art Museum Exhibition Hall Arsenals, Riga, Latvia

Art Moscow. Gallery Riga, Moscow, Russia

 

2006

Painting from Latvia “Visions & Reality”. Publichi Studio, Hague, Netherlands

Art Moscow. Gallery Riga, Moscow, Russia

Project "The Force of Body ". Riga Gallery, Riga, Latvia

Mexico Annotations. XO Art Gallery, Riga, Latvia 

Public Mirrors. Posters. 1863-2006. Arsenāls Exhibition Hall of LNMM, Rīga

 

2005

Dispute. XO Art Gallery, Riga, Latvia

Art Moscow. Gallery Riga, Moscow, Russia

Art Nocturne Knocke. Gallery Bastejs, Knocke, Belgium

Museum Time. LNMM, Riga, Latvia

 

2004

Still Life.  Arsenals, The 20th-21th centuries. Arsenals Exhibition Hall of LNMM, Rīga 

Women Painting Women. Gallery Bastejs, Riga, Latvia

Art Moscow. Gallery Riga, Moscow, Russia

Line Art Gent. Gallery Bastejs, Gent, Belgium

Art Nocturne Knocke. Gallery Bastejs, Knocke, Belgium

Challenge the Nail Exhibition 2004. Salon des Arts with imperial College, London, England

 

2003

Abstractionism in Latvian Painting. Arsenāls Exhibition Hall of LNMM, Riga, Latvia

Wild Photographers. The Sapņu Fabrika centre for contemporary culture, Riga, Latvia

Art Nocturne Knocke. Gallery Bastejs, Knocke, Belgium

Line Art Gent. Gallery Bastejs, Gent, Belgium

 

2002

Latvia. Surprising Art from 20th Century. Zwolle City Museum, Zwolle, Netherlands 

9th Rauma Biennial Basic Elements. Rauma, Finland 

Witnesses of an Age.LNMM, Riga, Latvia

Small Works. Mimi Ferzt Gallery, New York, USA

 

2001

Interval. LNMM, Riga, Latvia

Mask. Represented by Gallery Bastejs, Riga, Latvia

Drawing. Riga Gallery, Riga, Latvia 

Line Art Gent. Gallery Bastejs, Gent, Belgium

Metropolis. Riga. Riga Stock Exchange House, Riga, Latvia

Latvian Contemporary Art. The Office of Günter Verheugen, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium 

 

1999

World Premiere. Baltic Arts Exhibition. Contemporary Painting and Sculpture. National Arts Club, New York; Internationa Monteray Fund Gallery, Washington, USA

Past- Present- Feature. Three Painters from Riga. Gallery Egelund, Copenhagen, Denmark

The Joy of Being. State Art Museum, Riga, Latvia

Line Art Centre. Gallery Bastejs, Ghent, Belgium

 

1998

Exhibition of Latvian contemporary art.  Gallery Daugava. Newcastle, Edinburgh, London, UK  

Nude. Mimi Ferzt Gallery, New York, USA

Line Art Gent. Gallery Bastejs, Gent, Belgium

2nd All-Latvian Art exhibition, Latvia Exhibition Hall, Riga, Latvia

 

1997

Latvian Contemporary Art. Grande Salle de l'Aubette, Strasbourg; Maison du Danemark, Paris, France 

Celebrating Still Life. Mimi Ferzt Gallery. New York, USA

Line Art Gent. Gallery Bastejs, Gent, Belgium

Ballet. Riga Stock Exchange, Riga, Latvia

John, Hulio, Juris and Villijs. Club “Slepenais eksperiments”, Riga, Latvia

Opera.5thual Exhibition of the Soros Centre for Contemporary Art Rīga, Dailes Theatre, Rīga

Melancholy. Contemporary Painting from the Baltic States. Friedrich-Ebert–Stiftung Galerie, Bonn, Germany

 

1996

Baltic Days. UNESCO Exhibition Hall, Paris, France 

Women Painting Women, Mimi Ferzt Gallery, New York, USA 

Stockholm Art Fair. Gallery Bastejs, Stockholm, Sweden

23 Latvian artists. Gallery Daugava, Sala Millares, Madrid, Spain 

Art After a Century. Art Nouveau in Baltics Conference. Riga Gallery, Riga, Latvia

 

1995

Monument. 3rd Annual Exhibition of the Soros Centre for Contemporary Art Riga. City environment. Arsenāls Exhibition Hall of LNMM, Riga

Stockholm Art Fair. Gallery Bastejs, Stockholm, Sweden

Art Frankfurt International Art Fair. Gallery Bastejs, Frankfurt Main, Germany

 

1994

State. 2nd Annual Exhibition of the Soros Centre for Contemporary Art Riga. Arsenāls Exhibition Hall of LNMM, Riga, Latvia

Europ Art. Gallery Bastejs, Geneva, Switzerland

Stockholm Art Fair. Gallery Bastejs, Stockholm, Sweden

Contemporary Art from Latvia. Gallery Morphy, Limassol, Cyprus

Artists Help Artists. Art from Riga. Alborg Kunstpavilion, Husets Gallery, Aalborg, Denmark

Art Frankfurt, Gallery Bastejs, Frankfurt Main, Germany

 

1993    

20th Century Latvian Painting. Paris, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, France 

20th Century Latvian Painting. Paris, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, France 

Stockholm Art Fair. Gallery Bastejs, Stockholm, Sweden

Art Frankfurt. Gallery Bastejs, Frankfurt, Germany

The Art Myth Art Fair. Gallery Bastejs, Moscow, Russia

 

1992

Latvian Painting. Salzburg, Austria

Group Exhibition of painters. Factura Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium

 

1991

Russian and Latvian Artists. Granovsky Gallery, San Francisco, USA 

Soviet Russian Artist, Granovsky Gallery, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Hong Kong Chi

 

1990

1st All- Latvian Art Exhibition. State Art Museum, Riga, Latvia

Group exhibition by Latvian Artists. Neuss City Gallery, Neuss, Germany

Art Hamburg International Art Fair. Dieter Hildebrandt Gallery, Hamburg, Germany

Gallery Express. Avant-Guarde: Painting. Sculpture. Sovavangard Art Gallery, Moscow

 

1989

Cleveland International Drawing Biennial. Cleveland, UK

Lāčplēsis. Arsenāls Exhibition Hall of State Art Museum, Riga, Latvia

Contemporary Soviet Painters from Riga. Eduard Nakhamkin Fine Arts Gallery, NewYork, USA

Exhibition of Latvian Art. Express Avangard Gallery, Vienna, Austria

The Nude in Latvian Painting. LSSR State Art Museum, Riga

 

1988    Moscow on Alster. Five Soviet Painters in Hamburg Hamburger Hof, Hamburg

Moscow on Alster. Five Soviet Painters in Hamburg Hamburger Hof, Hamburg,Germany

Post-Traditionalism. Group exhibition of Young Latvian Painters. Central House of Artists, Moscow                                                                                                   

 

1987

7th Poster Triennal of the Baltic Republics. Latvia Exhibition Hall, Riga                   

 

1986

7th Watercolour Exhibition of the Baltic Republics, Latvia Exhibition Hall, Riga                                                                                                                           

 

1985    

Youth. 3rd Exhibition of Young Baltic Artists. State Art Museum of the Lithuanian SSR

Youth. 3rd Exhibition of Young Baltic Artists. State Art Museum of the Lithuanian SSR

3rd International Drawing Triennal. Kunsthalle Nurnberg, Nurnberg, Germany

2nd Exhibition of Young Artists from GDR and the USSR. Neuen Berliner Galerie im Alte Museum, Berlin, Germany

Exhibition of works by Francisks Varslavāns, Večella Varslavāne, Gunārs Kirke and Frančeska Kirke. Rēzekne Local History Museum, Rēzekne, Latvia

Exhibitionof the Department of Monumental Painting of the State Academy of Art of the LSSR. The Artists House, Riga

 

1984

6th  Poster Triennal of the Baltic Republics. Exhibition. Tallinn, Estonia

6th Republican Book-Art Exhibtion. The Artists House, Riga

The Art of Soviet Latvia. Central House of the Artist, Moscow

Incident No. 1.The Eduards Smiļģis Theatre Museum, Riga, Latvia

Nature. Environment. Man. St. Peter’s Church, Riga, Latvia                                   

 

1983

The Art of Soviet Latvia. Leningrad, Russia

 

1980

Portrait and Self – Portraits. State Museum of Arts of the Latvian SSR, Riga, Latvia

 

PROJECTS AND EXHIBITIONS (AS CURATOR)

 

2021 CONTEMPORARY ATR RUHR. CAR, Represented by Gallery Bastejs, ESSEN, Germany

 

2000

Centenary of Francisks Varslavāns Birt. Gallery Daugava, Riga, Latvia

 

2001

Mask. Gallery Bastejs, Riga, Latvia

Metropolis. Riga. Riga Exchange Building, Riga, Latvia

 

2003

Wild Photographers. Dream Factory, centre for culture, Riga, Latvia

 

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS 

Latvian National Museum of Art. Riga, Latvia

Latvia Artists' Union Museum. Riga, Latvia

Collection of the Bank of Latvia 

The Swedbank Art Collection, Riga, Latvia 

Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum. Rutgers University, New Brunswick, USA 

The State Tretyakov Gallery. Moscow, Russia

Collection of Māris Andersons

Collection of Ainārs Gulbis

Collection of Artemy Troitsky

Collection of Guntis Belēvičs

Collection of Luciano Benetton

Collection of Uldis Pīlēns

Collection of Guntis Rāvis

Collection of zuzāns family

 

AWARDS 

 

2001

Gold Medal of the Latvian Artists Union for Museum solo exhibition at the Latvian

National Museum of Art

 

2002

Annual Latvian Artists Union Award for outstanding curators work on the Metropolis.Riga, Latvia