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Tatyana Palchuk is one of the Latvian artists who are well known abroad. She was born in Riga and graduated from Rosenthal art school. In the 1970s she graduated from the Academy of Arts in Riga, then she studied at a graduate school under the leadership of the famous Latvian painter, academician of the Academy of Arts of the USSR Eduards Kalniņš. 

In her creative work, Tatyana Palchuk continues and maintains the tradition of the world’s artistic heritage. What appeal to her, are Italian Classics, Northern Renaissance (15th and 16th centuries), and miniatures of French medieval manuscripts. That is why a sincere respect to the European art of that period is felt in most works by Tatyana Palchuk. 

"Quite rarely I met such artists who represented refinement and elegance. She is sewing a new beautiful dress of the contemporary art, embroidering it through the beauty of form and a harmony of colours. Over the years I've been following the creative work of Tatyana and I must say that every time I am amazed. Her works are like golden dreams, her art is a real triumph of beauty. The beauty one has to "savour" like Marcel Proust, re-discovering the lost time associated with memories. Works of the artist return us to the times when there is harmony and time free from envy, human indisposition and injustice. Therefore, her works gain attention of not only the audience but also of the harshest critics," states the well-known Italian art critic Salvatore Russo. 

When talking about a new cycle of her works, Tatyana Palchuk notes, 

"Some prehistory is needed here. My husband and I really love to travel, and once, when being in Italy, we went to Verona, Rome and then got to Assisi. That day there was a big Catholic holiday to celebrate, to which people from all over the world came, young and aged. They were singing and dancing in the square in Assisi. I was delighted, amazed and deeply inspired by that day, those beautiful, kind and amazingly young people, who were celebrating this holiday. No matter how it sounds, but that night I had a dream that I remembered and, having woken up in the morning, we started to record it. At that moment I understood that it would be twelve paintings plus one. This number has not been chosen randomly - a dozen of Apostles visited me in that dream, and I realized that this topic is a challenge and a sign I have to take. I started working seriously, collecting materials, reading, and then a moment came, after which it could not be left or put aside "for a later time". As any beginning of something new, it caused a range of feelings in me, even a healthy fear of a serious topic. 

Did you work on something else during these three years? 

Tatyana Palchuk: In fact, I have devoted all these three years to a cycle works we decided to name the "Hymn to Creativity". I deflected my attention away very rarely, just to have some rest, and at such times I drew some still life. But, of course, all my concentration was focused in that direction. This cycle of works is a gift that I have made to myself, which manifests my love for the Northern Renaissance – Flanders, the Netherlands, Burgundy and the Italian Cinquecento. What I was able to gather with my mind and splash out from my soul and heart, is the fruit that is presented to the viewers today. When the work had been finished, I felt completely drained out, and it was time to relax both mentally and physically. When it gets warmer, we will go somewhere. 

Who is depicted in your paintings? 

T.P. They are all real young people (or angels), who were posing for me. Engineers, computer scientists, owners of companies and my students. This is another example of interdependence of everything in the world. One thing is derived from another, the past is connected and intertwined with the present. 

Why did you decide to show this series of works first in Riga? 

T.P. This happened to be quite a logical decision. It’s not my first exhibition at Rietumu gallery, here’re working such heartful people, so it’s very pleasant to cooperate with them. And so it happened that Latvia will become the first country to host this exhibition. Rietumu Gallery is very well suited for this purpose. It is light, large, has an interesting layout, and, besides, I have already had the experience of arranging an exhibition here. The next town the "Hymn to Creativity" will go to is Antwerp. 

I would like people who come to the exhibition to feel that I have contributed my soul, philosophy, months and years of serious work in these paintings, so that they evoke positive feelings and, hopefully, good thoughts. And, when feelings join with knowledge, the layering takes place – a more in-depth understanding of the message and recognition of symbols. As my Art Director says, "A masterpiece is not born during one day.” It took me a long time, but I think I have coped with the task. 

Tatyana Palchuk has been participating in exhibitions since 1981. During this period, she has held more than 10 personal and 40 collective exhibitions. In recent years, she has exhibited abroad a lot – New York, Paris, cities of Belgium, Italy, France and Germany. She has received prestigious international awards. The artist's works can be found in public and different private collections worldwide. 

The exhibition will run until 28 February; opening hours - Mon-Fri 9 am to 6:00 pm. As always, admission is free. 

Address: Head Office of the Rietumu Bank - Rietumu Capital Centre, 7 Vesetas Street, Riga.