On Thursday, October 4, the Art Academy of Latvia (AAL) in cooperation with Semarah Hotels opened the second art exhibition organized with the aim of supporting young and talented Latvian artists. At the close of each exhibition, Semarah Hotels purchases the most popular painting at the exhibition to create a unique art collection, the Grand Poet Art Collection.

On Thursday, solo exhibition “Portraits” (Portreti) by the young artist and AAL Master’s student Justine Seile opened at Grand Poet Hotel, featuring several works of art can. The stories depicted in the paintings are dramatized, caricatured and exaggerated situations, which reflect the artist’s fantasy world with a small dose of humour. Unique compositions and evocative colour palette characterize the artist’s paintings.

Justīne Seile, a student at the Art Academy of Latvia: “I draw inspiration for paintings from powerful experiences and real events in life. That is why I, a family member or a close friend is often the main character of the paintings. I am interested in a person, his or her portrait and body, I pay a lot of attention to light and shade, how they interact, to conjure up a situation full of drama, which therefore draws my attention.”

Justīne studied at Ventspils State Gymnasium No. 1, attended Ventspils Visual Arts Studio to learn the ABCs of painting, then studied at Liepāja Art and Design Secondary School, and is currently continuing her Master’s studies in painting at the Art Academy of Latvia. Justīne had her first solo exhibition in 2014.

Vija Zariņa, painter, Associate Professor at the Art Academy of Latvia: “Justīne Seile is a young painter who clearly knows what she wants to achieve in her works, and she has the skills, talent and knowledge to do this. Having your own view of things happening in this world is very important. Equally important is the painter’s individual style and the means of expression he or she uses.”

Māris Alnis, head of Grand Poet Hotel: “The Grand Poet Art Collection, created in collaboration with the Art Academy of Latvia, is meant to inspire and support our young and talented artists. Grand Poet Hotel possesses tremendous creative energy. Having seen the works of the most talented young art students, we are convinced that the Art Academy of Latvia has a similar driving force. By creating this collection, we not only support artistic creativity and give the public opportunity to see works of Latvia’s young talents, but also tell our guests and life lovers from all over the world the story of Latvia as an inspiring and beautiful place that travellers want to see again and again.”

The first exhibition featured paintings by Madara Kvēpa. Visitors to the exhibition and hotel guests voted the painting “Sun Shouts in the City” (Saule iekliedzas pilsētā) their favourite piece of the exhibition. The painting was purchased by Semarah Hotels to became the first work of art in the Grand Poet Art Collection. Visitors will be able see Justīne Seile’s solo exhibition and vote for their favourite painting until January 2019.

About Grand Poet Hotel

Grand Poet Hotel was opened by Semarah Hotels, a hotel chain founded in Latvia. At the moment, the hotel chain includes resort hotel Lielupe in Jūrmala and two hotels in Riga: the four-star historic Metropole hotel on Aspazijas Boulevard and the elegant five-star design hotel Grand Poet Hotel at 5/6 Raiņa Boulevard. Each one has its own unique story to tell.

Grand Poet Hotel officially opened on May 31. The hotel’s Diplohemia concept combines diplomatic and bohemian design solutions developed by the internationally acclaimed and award-winning concept and design agency Stylt Trampoli (Sweden). The hotel was designed by the architectural firm Sarma un Norde (Latvia), preserving the architectural uniqueness of the building. The name of the hotel carries a duality that is often embodied in poets – earnest and bohemian.

AAL Rector Kristaps Zariņš and Olga Smirnova, Member of the Board at Semarah Hotels, a hotel chain founded in Latvia, participated in the gallery’s ribbon-cutting ceremony and signing the memorandum. Later on, “Phenomenon” (Parādība), a solo exhibition of the AAL third-year student Madara Kvēpa, opened at the new gallery and will run until September 13.

“With the establishment of the Latvian modern art collection Grand Poet Art Collection, we especially want to spotlight and support our young and talented artists, and at the same time we want our patrons to not only discover and explore Latvian art, but also involve them in the assessment of artists and their works of art. Most of our patrons are life lovers, travellers from different countries of the world who are interested in the culture of other countries, and we are very excited to give them a chance to meet Latvia’s young talents,” says Olga Smirnova who came up with the idea of the project.

The objective of the cooperation is to support AAL students and young Latvian artists – to encourage them to strive for new achievements, build self-confidence and pursue an international career, provide financial support for talent development, create a space for solo exhibitions, thereby promoting the development of art in Latvia.

“The closest neighbours of the Art Academy of Latvia are the Ministry of Culture, the Latvian National Museum of Art, and Grand Poet Hotel, and we are very pleased with our successful cooperation with these institutions. Our students are the creators of the bustling life in the centre of Riga, they embody creative energy. We are very happy that young artists will have the opportunity to exhibit their works at the hotel. This is a nice tradition that will benefit both sides,” points out Kristaps Zariņš.

The solo exhibition by the young artist Madara Kvēpa is the first exhibition in the newly opened gallery. “The opportunity to have my works exhibited at Grand Poet Hotel’s art gallery is the most significant turning point in my career so far. Even though painting has always been an intimate process for me, which I often compare to a special form of meditation, I cannot disagree with Edgar Degas, who said that ‘art is not what you see, but what you make others see.’ The hotel is an international venue for culture lovers from all over the world, so I can hardly imagine a better place for exhibiting my works to a wider audience,” emphasizes Madara Kvēpa, adding that any passer-by and art lover can visit the exhibition.

Each visitor to the gallery is welcome to participate in voting for the best works until September 13, giving his or her favourite work a special sticker – a five-grand coin. The stickers are available at the reception of Grand Poet Hotel.

About Madara Kvēpa

Madara Kvēpa began her art studies at Janis Rozentāls Art School, in 2012 she graduated from the Fashion Department of Riga School of Design and Art. She is currently studying painting at the Visual Arts Department of the Art Academy of Latvia. She has been exhibiting since 2016. In 2017, she had her first solo exhibition, “IntueriI”. In the spring of 2018, she participated in the international project Gattopardo II Palermo-Riga-Vienna.

About Grand Poet Hotel

Grand Poet Hotel was opened by Semarah Hotels, a hotel chain founded in Latvia. At the moment, the hotel chain includes resort hotel Lielupe in Jūrmala and two hotels in Riga: the four-star historic Metropole hotel on Aspazijas Boulevard and the elegant five-star design hotel Grand Poet Hotel at 5/6 Raiņa Boulevard. Each one has its own unique story to tell.

Grand Poet Hotel officially opened on May 31. The hotel’s Diplohemia concept combines diplomatic and bohemian design solutions developed by the internationally acclaimed and award-winning concept and design agency Stylt Trampoli (Sweden). The hotel was designed by the architectural firm Sarma un Norde (Latvia), preserving the architectural uniqueness of the building. The name of the hotel carries a duality that is often embodied in poets – earnest and bohemian.

As of 12 January, this year, the first five-star design hotel “Grand Poet Hotel” has opened its doors. The new hotel was established by “Semarah Hotels”, a Latvian hotel chain which owns the hotels “Metropole” and “Lielupe”.

“By opening the hotel on Raiņa boulevard, we have opened a new page in the history of Semarah Hotels. This is the first design hotel in Riga, uniting modern art and the bohemian lifestyle. Both the unique design, and the magnificent view over one of the most romantic parks in Riga – the Bastejkalns – serve to bring joy to the hearts of our visitors. The building hosting the hotel has a long and colourful history, and we have paid particular attention to preserve it in the renovation process,” Olga Smirnova, Head of the hotel chain “Semarah Hotel”, reveals.

“Grand Poet Hotel” is located on Raiņa boulevard 5/6, the heart of the historic centre of Riga, in the vicinity of the Freedom Monument. The name of the hotel represents a duality inherent to poets – formality and the bohemian spirit. The building itself is an architectural monument, therefore, as many authentic items as possible have been preserved, for example, the five-story wooden staircase and tile stoves. The hotel was designed by the honoured and respected Swedish company “Stylt Trampoli”.

There are 168 elegant guest rooms, including several especially luxurious rooms. “Here, everything is together in one place – a restaurant for a fresh and sophisticated gastronomical experience, modern premises for events and conferences, a spacious Wellness centre, as well as three elegant SPA treatment rooms, which will be opened in early spring. The hotel is a true gem for aesthetes, those intoxicated by life and culture,” Māris Alnis, Head of “Grand Poet Hotel”, adds.

“Semarah Hotels” is a hotel chain brand founded in Latvia, with long-term experience in providing high-quality service. The hotel chain takes pride in its various hotels: the resort hotel “Lielupe”, the four-star historical hotel “Metropole”, and the elegant design hotel “Grand Poet Hotel”. Each of these hotels carries its own unique story and values.