Art Platz opening exhibition features artist Edgars Vinters (1919-2014). The presented works have been kept in a private collection, so until now they have been seen very rarely in public.
The spectrum of themes chosen by Edgars Vinters covers landscape, still life and flower painting, though this exhibition is mainly focused on his urban paintings that are, perhaps, less known. As a plein-airist and an urban scene painter, Edgars Vinters has created countless paintings on canvas and cardboard, seeking harmony between water and sky, flowers and grain fields or variations of city cobbles, old walls and church towers.
Edgars Vinters' artworks are developed in colors, easily perceivable and well-structured, again and again he manages to find a motif on the streets of Old Riga – Valnu Street, Troksnu Street, Powder Tower and Vermanes Garden, all are presented as poetic contemplations. It’s his highlighting of beautiful things: details are not artificial, clear texture, dynamic movement, radiant sunshine that describes the process of impressionistic painting observation in brush strokes. For each object, a position has been found in the peaceful, sunny atmosphere or in an idyllic late afternoon tranquility in which the first lanterns light up. The artist's paintings emit mystical quality that overcomes direct scenic motifs.
Edgars Vinters sees the central theme in the winter and autumn landscapes with forests and winding rivers, while in the summer he sees the heated hay heaps, just as he captures the romantic breath of antiquity in the city's views and in the streets of the historic center and outskirts of Riga. The artist undoubtedly manages to show his piety and love for the homeland.
Edgars Vinters' works are admired for the richness of light and color, so different in nature and in the streets – the lightness and volatility of the breath of nature against the dusty stone grayness and heaviness in the city. Harmony becomes a source of inspiration in nature and urban fascination, expressed in coloristic intonations and subtle nuances.
Color range selection and brush stroke makes the artist's works look strong and saturated with intensity. Concentrated pastel tone reflections, shadows, thickenings and blurs make the paintings ''lively'' and full of different shades. Colored areas richly covered in several layers until individual color qualities are no longer distinguishable. Edgars Vinters imitates reality, one might even say – he constructs it in a lyrically encrypted way. The artist looks for the most appropriate form to express his vision, his experience. His paintings are like instantaneous impressions and imagination ideas, which create a desire for meditative stop – external peace and inner movement.
Edgars Vinters with his ''painting quality'' has had a significant impact on Latvian art, being a source of inspiration for at least one generation of future artists.
