"Painting is my life's happiness and unhappiness. Each successfully created painting gives me a feeling of happiness. Failure leads to despair and stubbornness not to give up." - Valdis Bušs.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Latvian landscape painter Valdis Bušs, one of the most prominent artists in the genre. He remained dedicated to his work until the end, leaving behind a vast legacy of several thousand sketches and paintings. A new exhibition at the "Art Platz" gallery showcases six decades of Valdis Bušs' creative career. Part I of the centenary exhibition will be displayed from May 19 to August 17. Part II, showcasing additional new artworks, will commence on August 18 and provide further insights into the artist's oeuvre.
"Valdis Bušs' painting is a story of his love for native Latvia and its nature's beauty, his love for colors and chosen craft." Līga Baņķiere, Ieva Trillo ("On the Bright Side of Life. Valdis Bušs”).
Art was above all else for Valdis Bušs; he was a fanatic lover of his work and was absolutely convinced of the rightness of his judgment. Like most artists, he was an extreme egoist. He was lonely, introverted, and at times misunderstood. Persistence and determination accompanied his creative life; his most passionate desire was to paint better and better. Bušs transferred his emotions onto canvas. His works are characterized by vivid, contrasting colors and their combinations, saturated, pastose brushstrokes, and pronounced texture; his works are expressive and dynamic – alive.
Valdis Bušs was inspired by French painting of the early 20th century, mainly Fauvism. During his studies at the Latvian Academy of Art, he attended master classes by the landscape painter Ārijs Skride and the still-life master Leo Svemps. In Bušs' works, one can feel both the strong individuality of the artist and the sense of freedom playing with colors and strokes. Valdis Bušs was experimenting with art, yet behind the seeming abstraction and expressiveness of the paintings, one can see a specific place in Latvia, a majestic, floral composition in a still life, or the artist's feelings related to a memorable event. Bušs loved what he depicted in his paintings - enthusiastic landscapes, the creation of his own vision of the splendour of Latvian nature. He also painted flowers and still lifes, less frequently turning to figurative compositions and nudes. Since childhood, he has been charmed by the beauty of nature – the sun, the blossoming birch trees, the greenery of spring, the gloominess of winter, and the colorful autumn. Bušs referred to nature as his constant model.
"Valdis Bušs served two fundamental values: nature and art. Through his painting, he defended principles that form and define the true meaning of existence: Beauty, Work, and Love — a trinity that embodies and expresses perfection, continuity, eternity." - Art historian Ingrīda Burāne.
Valdis Bušs (1924–2014) was born in Latgale, near Viļaka. In 1945, he began studying at the Latvian Academy of Art but did not graduate as he followed his beloved bride to Siberia. In 1955, the artist returned to Latvia with his family and lived in Jūrmala until the end of his life. Bušs turned to active creative work in the 1970s. He participated in the art scene, leading the Jūrmala group of artists and cooperating with other artistic associations in Latvia. Throughout his life, he organized more than 40 solo and 120 group exhibitions in Latvia and abroad. The author's works are in private collections worldwide and in Latvian museum collections.
Valdis Bušs' creative legacy can also be experienced through modern digital formats. Bušs' NFT paintings are available for purchase on OpenSea, the leading digital art marketplace. The latest publication, dedicated to exploring the artist's color language, titled "Krāsa un gaisma. Valdis Bušs", is available in e-book format and can be purchased at the Zvaigzne ABC online store. The English version titled "On the Bright Side of Life. Valdis Bušs" is available on Amazon.com. The best paintings of Valdis Bušs can be purchased through our Art Platz Online Auction - art-platz.com
Valdis Bušs' NFTs:
On The Bright Side of Life #1 - https://opensea.io/collection/on-the-bright-side-of-life
On The Bright Side of Life #2 - https://opensea.io/collection/on-the-bright-side-of-life-2
E-books:
"Krāsa un gaisma. Valdis Bušs" - https://www.zvaigzne.lv/lv/gramatas/apraksts/204692-krasa_un_gaisma_valdis_buss.html
"On the Bright Side of Life. Valdis Bušs" - https://www.amazon.com/Bright-Side-Life-Valdis-Bu%C5%A1s-ebook/dp/B0CPD31DB6
Artworks on the online auction:
Art Platz Online Auction - https://art-platz.com/
