On St. Peter’s Day, 29 June, an augmented reality exhibition dedicated to Pēteris Martinsons opens in the courtyard of Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre] Culture news

Celebrating the 90th anniversary since the birth of the world-renowned native of Daugavpils – ceramicist, architect and art educator Pēteris Martinsons (1931–2013) – and looking forward to the opening of his memorial house at the former gunpowder magazine of Daugavpils Fortress, WeRock Association in cooperation with Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre suggests experiencing his porcelain artworks in a new format, through mobile devices.

WeRock Association came up with the idea to use WebAR (Augmented Reality experience accessed through a web browser) in an exhibition of Martinsons’ work last winter when professional art and culture were unavailable to the public. Faced with the fact that outstanding artworks remained in closed exhibitions and museum collections, creators felt urged to seek new ways and options to make art publicly accessible. Thus, the association created an online platform, www.arpus.online, which uses trending hi-tech solutions to exhibit art through Augmented Reality. With this platform, artworks are experienced via smart devices such as mobile phones or tablets. Their first project focuses on the ceramic works by Pēteris Martinsons from the Rothko Centre collection.

The exhibition programme of the Rothko Centre throughout 2021 is largely centred on Pēteris Martinsons and his creative legacy. The summer exhibition season features “Martinsons Award 2021”, a vast international juried exhibition within the 3rd Latvia Ceramics Biennale. The end of the year is expected to bring the opening of Pēteris Martinsons Memorial Home, a new sector of the Rothko Centre that will house a permanent display of his ceramic collection. In the meantime, the new show, “Pēteris Martinsons: Augmented Reality”, offers a high-tech experience of select pieces from the great ceramicist’s creative legacy whilst they are physically unavailable to the public.

Exhibition partners:

Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre and WeRock Association

Publicity photo:

Pēteris Martinsons The House of Mirth (1998). Porcelain, partly glazed, overglazes, gas firing. 46.5 x 29 x 22 cm. Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre collection

About the organiser:

Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre

https://www.rothkocentre.com/

3 Mihaila Street, Daugavpils

Zane Melāne

+371 65430248

zane.melane@daugavpils.lv

WeRock Association

Ingūna Levša

+371 20309000

inguna.levsa@gmail.com

and

Māris Popovs

+371 29624414

maris.popovs@gmail.com

Currently on show at Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre:

Mark Rothko’s originals and the artist’s biography;

Found in the Collection – finest pieces from Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre in a permanent exhibition;

Martinsons Award 2021 – international juried exhibition of the 3rd Latvia Ceramics Biennale featuring artists from 38 countries;

The Colour of Light: Utopian Abstractions – five artists’ investigations into the colour of light;

Legalised Fantasies – juried exhibition of artists from the Latgale Region;

TOGETHER – group exhibition of the Riga School of Design and Art, Ceramics Department;

One Size – solo exhibition by ceramic artist Eglė Einikytė‑Narkevičienė (Lithuania);

Controlled Flight of Free Thought – solo exhibition by graphic artist Mārīte Kluša;

Joyous Art – solo exhibition by ceramic artist Juta Rindina.

Opening hours:

Monday – closed

Tuesday – 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Wednesday through Sunday – 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Author:

Aivars Baranovskis

aivars.baranovskis@daugavpils.lv

+371 65430273