For the tenth consecutive year, artists from different cultural backgrounds gather in Northern Latgale and Balvi Municipality for the International Painting Plein Air “Valdis Bušs 2026”, continuing a tradition that has become one of Latvia’s most distinctive annual painting events. Held in and around the town of Viļaka from 13 to 22 July, the plein air brings together six painters whose practices reflect diverse artistic languages while sharing a common commitment to contemporary painting.
This year’s participants are Elga Grīnvalde (Latvia), Cecilia Chiavistelli (Italy), Ashot Shahbazyan (Armenia), Claudia Toran (Spain), Chae Hyeon Lee (South Korea) and Filip Rzodkiewicz (Poland). Working within the landscapes of Northern Latgale, each artist develops new works inspired not only by the surrounding environment but also by the dialogue that naturally emerges through shared experience, observation and creative exchange.
Rather than following a predetermined theme, the plein air encourages artists to respond freely to place, atmosphere and personal encounters. The resulting paintings become individual reflections shaped by local light, colour and landscape, while collectively revealing the richness of contemporary painting across different cultural perspectives.
The project pays tribute to Valdis Bušs (1924–2014), one of Latvia’s most important colourists and landscape painters. Deeply connected to Latgale throughout his life, Bušs transformed familiar landscapes into emotionally charged compositions where colour itself became the principal means of expression. His artistic legacy continues to inspire new generations of painters, making the plein air not only a meeting of contemporary artists but also an ongoing conversation with one of Latvia’s most distinctive artistic voices.
The works created during the symposium will be presented in the final exhibition opening on 22 July at Balvi Manor, where the exhibition will remain on view until 20 October 2026, offering visitors an opportunity to experience six unique interpretations of Northern Latgale through contemporary painting.
The project is organised by Balvi Municipality in cooperation with the Rothko Museum and is produced by SIVIA and Saules Stari Viļakai.
The project is funded by Balvi Municipality, the State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia, and the Latgale Historical Lands Development Programme.
SIVIA 