On the boundaries between the spiritual and the material: Valdis Putniņš’s exhibition COVENANT opens at the Grand Poet Hotel gallery.
- May, the solo exhibition COVENANT by artist Valdis Putniņš, curated by Laura Ozola, was opened at the art gallery of the Grand Poet Hotel. The exhibition continues the long-term collaboration between the hotel and the Art Academy of Latvia, with the aim of introducing a wider audience to Latvian artists and developing the contemporary art collection Grand Poet Art Collection.
The exhibition consists of twelve works created in various techniques – painting, glass, and mixed media. It reveals the artist’s versatile approach to visual art, demonstrating his ability to work across different techniques while maintaining a unified message. At the heart of the exhibition COVENANT is a spiritual meditation in which religious symbols, personal motifs, and existential reflections intertwine.
As Valdis Putniņš himself states: “The religious motifs here are not interpreted dogmatically, but rather as a universal system of signs that creates meaning across different cultures and faith traditions. COVENANT is a conceptual reflection on the symbolic and semiotic dimension of religion. It explores the ideas of rebirth, birth, sin, and redemption, as well as the multilayered meaning of the sign of the cross.”
Valdis Putniņš is a Latvian artist whose multifaceted approach to the visual arts includes painting, glass art, photography, and installations. In his works, he experiments with oil painting, the possibilities of new techniques, and the interaction of various media, exploring complex themes — the symbiosis of the sacred and the secular, the relationship between religion and iconography, representations of sexuality, and layers of human mental experience. His works often balance between personal reflection and semiotic play, revealing deeper psychological and philosophical questions. The artist’s visual language continuously reveals new facets, challenging the viewer to reassess the boundaries between the material and symbolic worlds.
Laura Ozola has been invited to curate the exhibition, highlighting the multilayered nature of the works by intertwining their existential themes with witty, at times ironic, depictions. In the exhibition she has created, the space is seemingly pierced by the artist’s self-portraits – appearing sometimes in the form of birth, sometimes revelation, or a dissolved, crackling omelette – becoming a reminder of the fragility and depth of human existence.
Describing the artist, Laura Ozola notes: “I perceive Valdis as a meaningful and responsible doer -much like an alchemist, for him too this process can turn into gold. That is what I wish for him on his continued artistic path.”
To help artists move closer to this “gold”, Grand Poet Hotel has set itself the goal of promoting the presence of art in everyday environments and creating a platform for artists whose works speak to a broad audience. Commenting on the collaboration with the Art Academy of Latvia and artist Valdis Putniņš, Grand Poet Hotel manager Māris Alnis states: “We are very proud that our collaboration with the Art Academy of Latvia continues, allowing us to discover Latvian artists and introduce our guests to the development of contemporary art. Exhibitions have become an integral part of our identity, and we value artists and their works that invite us, through art, to address more complex themes and to search for answers to questions long after visiting the exhibition.”
The exhibition COVENANT will be on view at the Grand Poet Hotel gallery until autumn of this year. Visitors have the opportunity not only to discover Valdis Putniņš’s works and purchase them, but also to vote in person for their favourite work, thereby taking part in shaping the hotel’s art collection. The work that receives the highest visitor rating will be included in the Grand Poet Art Collection, which already contains works by 16 artists.
To date, the collection includes works by Madara Kvēpa, Justīne Seile, Ella Mežule, Agate Bernāne, Kristīne Rublovska, Laura Veļa, Sandra Strēle, Roberts Bāliņš, Alise Builevica, Madara Freidenfelde, Haralds Saknītis, Megija Zonne, Paula Viļuma, Elīna Vagre, Katrīna Levāne, and Elīna Sanda Zaķe, displayed across all floors of the hotel as well as in the inner courtyard.
Photo (Lauris Vīksne)
About Grand Poet Art Collection
On 14 June 2018, the Art Academy of Latvia and the hotel chain Semarah Hotels signed a cooperation memorandum in support of young artists and their development. Its aim is to support the Academy’s students and young Latvian artists — to encourage new achievements, build self-confidence and foster international careers, provide financial support for talent development, and offer space for solo exhibitions, thereby promoting the development of art in Latvia.
About Grand Poet
Grand Poet was created by the Latvia-based hotel chain Semarah Hotels. Today, the hotel group can be proud of the resort hotel Lielupe in Jūrmala and two hotels in Riga – the four-star historic hotel Metropole on Aspazijas Boulevard and the elegant five-star design hotel Grand Poet Hotel at Raiņa Boulevard 5/6. Each of them has its own unique story and values.
The newly created “Diplohemia” concept of Grand Poet combines design solutions characteristic of diplomacy and bohemia, developed by the internationally recognised and award-winning concept and design agency Stylt Trampoli from Sweden. The project, in turn, was developed by the Latvian architectural bureau Sarma un Norde, preserving the architectural uniqueness of the building. The hotel’s name embodies a duality often found in poets themselves – businesslike practicality and bohemian spirit.