Solo Exhibition by Painter Laura Vela Opens

Continuing the collaboration between the Latvian Academy of Art (LMA) and Semarah Hotels in support of emerging Latvian artists, the sixth solo exhibition opened on Wednesday, August 12th, at the Grand Poet Hotel. The exhibition features the works of Laura Vela, an LMA graduate, and is titled "Nekas/Nothingness." It will be on display until November of this year.

Laura Vela, a painter and LMA graduate, and the author of the exhibition, explains: "When working on my pieces, the creative impulse comes from the social environment and observations, while the inspiration for the art exhibited at this exhibition comes from music, feeling, and color. The exhibition showcases abstract, mystical places where nothing happens, or rather the state in between. It's a moment of infinite possibilities, and for me, it represents the concept of NOTHINGNESS."

According to the artist, the sole purpose of her paintings is to invite the mind into a peaceful, visually meditative state, where the mind is quiet, free from thoughts, dogmas, ideas, and concepts.

Laura Vela was born in 1983. She began her studies in painting at the LMA (2013-2017), initially earning a bachelor's degree in painting and then continuing her master's studies with the Boris and Inara Teterev Scholarship at the LMA (2017-2019) in the painting department. Vela's works are held in private collections in Latvia, the United States, the Netherlands, France, and Germany. This will be her fourth solo exhibition.

"Laura has her own vision of the world, an opinion about life, and the ability to reflect it in her works, experimenting and seeking new dimensions. Her works captivate with their sincerity and simplicity of form, and most importantly, they are something that you want to look at. In my opinion, Laura has already taken a visible place in the world of Latvian art and is a noteworthy participant," says Kaspars Zariņš, a painter and professor at the LMA.

The exhibition is open to all gallery visitors, who can support their favorite work by affixing a sticker of a five-euro denomination. The stickers can be obtained at the Grand Poet Hotel.

About the Grand Poet Art Collection
On June 14, 2018, the Latvian Academy of Art and the Semarah Hotels network signed a memorandum of cooperation to support and develop young artists. Its goal is to support the students of the academy and young Latvian artists, to encourage new achievements, raise self-awareness, and build an international career, provide financial support for talent development, create space for solo exhibitions, and promote the development of art in Latvia.

About the Grand Poet Hotel
The Grand Poet Hotel is created by the Latvian hotel chain Semarah Hotels. The hotel network currently boasts the Lielupe Resort Hotel in Jurmala and two hotels in Riga - the four-star historic Metropole Hotel on Aspazijas Boulevard and the elegant five-star design hotel Grand Poet Hotel on Raiņa Boulevard 5/6. Each of them has its own unique story and values.

The Grand Poet Hotel's newly created concept of "Diplohemia" combines design solutions characteristic of diplomacy and bohemia, created by the internationally recognized and award-winning concept and design agency "Stylt Trampoli" (Sweden). The project was developed by the architectural firm "Sarma un Norde" (Latvia), preserving the architectural uniqueness of the building. The hotel's name embodies duality, which is often embodied in poets - practicality and bohemianism.