SIVIA Gallery was pleased to welcome Norwegian artist Beate Gjersvold for an individual artist residency in Daugavpils from April 28 to May 17, 2025. During her stay, Beate created new works inspired by the landscapes and culture of Latgale, connecting artistic communities in Latvia and Norway.
Artist Residency in Daugavpils – Beate Gjersvold
Revisiting the city of Daugavpils and the Rothko Museum always brings me good feelings and memories. This was my seventh stay in Daugavpils. Previously, I have had many solo exhibitions in museums and galleries in Latvia and have been involved in artistic collaborations since 1998. I value the Mark Rothko Painting Symposium 2015 and my solo exhibition at the Rothko Museum in 2017/2018 as important highlights of my artistic career.
This time, I was invited by Gallery SIVIA to participate in their individual artist residency in Daugavpils. The stay took place from April 28 until May 17, 2025. I was very excited about this opportunity to gain new inspiration and experiment with new watercolor techniques. The studio in this residency was beyond all expectations: SIVIA offered me a huge studio and beautiful living rooms, where I had access to all the necessary resources for my project.
Every morning, I woke up with a view of the beautiful Daugava River, and on some days, I could have breakfast on the balcony overlooking the river. These moments brought me a sense of peace and creativity.
During these three weeks, I was filled with impressions and inspiration: excursions, visits to artists and workshops, visits to museums and galleries (both in Latvia and Lithuania), concerts, and travels through landscapes so different from the Norwegian scenery. Not least, I gained new experiences and knowledge about ceramics by following the artists in Ceramic Laboratory 2025 at the Rothko Museum. A good atmosphere, wonderful surroundings, and new friends made my stay unforgettable.
In the spacious, light-filled studio, I created four new paintings, investigating how genuine pigments in new layers can give special expression, and trying out new forms and colors inspired by the landscapes we traveled through. My project explored both nature and the concept of TIME. My paintings became full of lines, which for me are a symbol of timelines.
Two of the works “By the River of Daugava” and “Spring Blossoming” will be included in the permanent collections of the Rothko Museum.
- “By the River of Daugava” was inspired by the colors along the river: the green meadows and yellow rape fields, and also the beautiful view to the river from the studio and balcony–a river that seems eternal and infinite.
- “Spring Blossoming,” a pink and peach-colored painting, was inspired by the flowering trees, and also connects to the theme of time and renewal.
First of all, many thanks to Māris Čačka and SIVIA for a stay full of experiences and for ongoing cooperation– both artistically and between our two cities, Daugavpils-Trondheim, and our two countries, Latvia-Norway. Many thanks to all friends at the Rothko Museum and in Daugavpils, and to Aivars Baranovskis and Valentīns Petjko, who included me in excursions together with the participants of Ceramic Laboratory 2025.
For me, Latvia has truly become my second homeland.
SIVIA 