Iltnere Ieva

Ieva Iltnere (b. 1957)

entered the Latvian art scene in the early 1980s. Together with other young painters of her generation she attracted much attention and radically changed prevailing conceptions about the Latvian figural painting. The fame of this generation of artists has not diminished since that time.

In 1988 Ieva Iltnere took part in the young artists’ exhibition “Post-Traditionalism” at the Central Artists’ House in Moscow as well as in the exhibition “Riga – Lettische Avantgarde” at the Staatliche Kunsthalle in Berlin. It was the first important show of Latvian avant-garde art in Western Europe.

In 1990 Ieva Iltnere and her like-minded contemporaries participated in the famous exhibition-action “Gentle Fluctuations” at the Exhibition Hall Latvija in Riga. This exhibition encouraged radical aspirations of the young painters’ group and promoted the adoption of new influences in Latvian art.

In 1992 there was Ieva Iltnere and Jānis Mitrēvics’ joint exhibition “Works” and in 1994 – her solo exhibition “School” at the Art Museum Arsenāls. She took part in important Latvian art exhibitions at the Zvolle City Museum (2002), Frauen Museum in Bonn (1992), Grand Salle de l’Aubette in Strasbourg, Maison du Danemark in Paris (1997), Städtische Galerie im Buntentor in Bremen, etc.

Ieva Iltnere is one of the most outstanding and creative artists of her generation. Her art is able to communicate great, significant ideas, important to both the individual and the society in general, through intimate subject matter. Iltnere has created a particular imagery that clearly marks her individual style.
Her early works deal with themes of family, mother and child, depiction of intimate aspects of life. The artist raised everyday phenomena to the level of sacredness. Today the artist synthesizes traditional means of painting and conceptual approach, inspired by different cultures, Western avant-garde art of the 20th century and Biblical themes (solo exhibition “Stories”, 2002).
Iltnere’s paintings feature subdued colouring and discrete intonation. The artist pays particular attention to light and composition. Each work is endowed with a personal touch.

Iltnere’s works are found in collections of the Latvian National Museum of Art (previous title - State Museum of Art), the Artists’ Union of Latvia Museum (Riga), the State Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow), Ludwig Museum (Aachen, Germany), Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum (New Jersey, USA) as well as in private collections in Latvia and abroad.

Selected solo exhibitions:
 
2008
"Beautiful fragile nature", Riga Gallery, Riga / Latvia
2007
"Eight Rooms", Riga Gallery, Riga / Latvia
2004
"The Happy Childhood", Riga Gallery, Riga / Latvia
2003
"Ieva's Painting", Gallery NoMi, St. Petersburg / Russia
"My Room", Gallery Centrs, Riga / Latvia
2002
"Stories", Riga Gallery, Riga / Latvia*
2001
"Ieva Iltnere's United Images", Gallery Daugava, Riga / Latvia
1999
"Papers and Canvases", Gallery Daugava, Riga / Latvia
1998
"Paintings of Paris", Gallery Daugava, Riga / Latvia
1997
"Oil", Gallery Bastejs, Riga / Latvia
1994
"School", Art Museum Arsenāls, Riga / Latvia*
1993
Riga Gallery, Riga / Latvia
Gallery G&G, Riga / Latvia*
1992
"Works", Art Museum Arsenāls, Riga / Latvia (together with Jānis Mitrēvics)*
"Four New Paintings", Gallery Kolonna, Riga / Latvia
1989
Gallery Baltasar, Gothenburg / Sweden (together with Ivars Poikāns)*

Selected group exhibitions:

2008                                                                                                                 
12th International Contemporary Art Exhibition "Art Moscow", Central House of Artists, Moscow / Russia*
Rauma Biennale Balticum 08 "Flower Power", Rauman Taidemuseo, Rauma Art Museum/ Finland
2007
11th International Contemporary Art Exhibition "Art Moscow", Central House of Artists, Moscow / Russia*                                                                                 
2005
9th International Contemporary Art Exhibition "Art Moscow", Central House of Artists, Moscow / Russia*
2004
8th International Contemporary Art Exhibition "Art Moscow", Central House of Artists, Moscow / Russia*
"The Rape of Europe", Eskilstuna Art Museum, Eskilstuna / Sweden*
2003
"Labyrinth", Gallery Vartai, Vilnius / Lithuania
"Abstractionism in Latvian Painting", State Museum of Art Exhibition Hall Arsenāls, Riga / Latvia*
2002
"Nichts Persönliches", Städtische Galerie im Buntentor, Bremen / Germany*
"Latvia. Surprising Art from the 20th Century", Zvolle City Museum, Zvolle / The Netherlands*
"Gentle Fluctuations", Exhibition Hall Arsenāls of the State Museum of Art, Riga / Latvia*
"Witnesses of an Age", State Museum of Art, Riga / Latvia*
"Small Picture", Mimi Ferzt Gallery, New York / USA
2001
"Colour", Riga Gallery, Riga / Latvia*
"Interim", Exhibition Hall Arsenāls of the State Museum of Art, Riga / Latvia
"Metropolis. Riga", Stock Exchange Building, Riga / Latvia*
Painting Biennial, Väsby Konsthall, Stockholm / Sweden*
2000
"Baltic Art. Contemporary Paintings and Sculptures", National Arts Club, New York; Gallery of the International Monetary Fund, Washington / USA*
"The Social and the Private. 1984–2000", Art Museum Arsenāls, Riga / Latvia
"The Naked Artist", Riga Gallery, Riga / Latvia
1999
"Past-Present-Future", Gallery Egelund, Copenhagen / Denmark
"The Joy of Being", State Museum of Art, Riga / Latvia*
Art Days in the Berga Bazārs, Riga / Latvia (organized by Riga Gallery)
1998
The 2nd World-wide Latvian Contemporary Art Exhibition, Art Museum Arsenāls, Riga / Latvia*
"Ventspils Transit Terminal", the 6th Annual Exhibition of the SCCA–Riga, Art Propaganda Train, Regional Museum of History and Art, Ventspils / Latvia*
Latvian Art Exhibition, Architects Hall, Town Hall, Prague / Czech Republic (organised by Gallery Daugava)
"Spike Island '98", Spike Island, Bristol / UK
1997
"Latvian Contemporary Art", Grande Salle de l'Aubette, Strasbourg; Maison du Danemark, Paris / France
"Celebrating the Still Life", Mimi Ferzt Gallery, New York / USA
"Ballet", Riga Stock Exchange Building, Riga / Latvia
"John, Julio, Juris and Willy", Club Slepenais Eksperiments, Riga / Latvia
1996
"Another Picture", Riga Gallery, Riga / Latvia
"Women Painting Women", Mimi Ferzt Gallery, New York / USA*
"Geo-Geo", the 4th Annual Exhibition of the SCCA–Riga, Pedvāle Open Air Art Museum, Sabile / Latvia
"Art After a Century", within the framework of the International Conference "Art Nouveau in the Baltic Area. Time and Space", Riga Gallery, Riga / Latvia
Latvian Contemporary Art Exhibition, Exhibition Hall of the Estonian National Library, Tallin / Estonia
"23 Artistas de Letonia", Sala Millares, Madride / Spānija (organised by Gallery Daugava)*
1995
"Monument", the 3rd Annual Exhibition of the SCCA–Riga, Photography Museum of Latvia, Riga / Latvia
"Crossing Over Consortium Exhibition: America-bound Exchange II", Embassy of Finland in USA, Washington / USA
1994
"State", the 2nd Annual Exhibition of the SCCA–Riga, Art Museum Arsenāls, Riga / Latvia*
"Les Artistes Lettons – Riga", Galerie d'Art Contemporain, Chamallieres / France*
"Rauma Biennale Balticum '94", Rauma Art Museum, Rauma / Finland*
"Latvia is Europe – Five Artists from Riga", Galerie im Margarethenhof, Bonn / Germany*
1993
"Sensation No. 30", Art Museum Arsenāls, Riga / Latvia
"Peintures Lettonnes du XXeme Siecle", Paris, Bordeaux, Strasbourg / France*
1992
"Baltiske Billeder", Herning Art Museum, Sollenrod Museum, Sollenrod / Denmark*
"Karyatiden", Frauen Museum, Bonn / Germany*
1991
"My Time – Pilot", Art Hall Den Fries, Copenhagen / Denmark*
"Fiatal Müveszek Rigaból", Contemporary Art Museum Mücsarnok, Budapest / Hungary*
1990
Action "Gentle Fluctuations", Exhibition Hall Latvija, Riga / Latvia*
"Latvia –20th Century Somersault. 1940–1990", Exhibition Hall Latvija, Riga / Latvia*
The 1st World-wide Latvian Art Exhibition, State Museum of Art, Museum of Foreign Art, Art Museum Arsenāls, Riga / Latvia*
1989
"Contemporary Soviet Painters from Riga", Ed. Nakhamkin Fine Arts Gallery, New York / USA*
"Riga – Lettische Avantgarde", Stadtgalerie im Sophienhof, Kiel; Exhibition Hall Weserburg, Bremen / Germany*
"Paintings. I. Iltnere, S. Krastiņa, J. Mitrēvics, Ģ. Muižnieks, E. Vērpe, A. Zariņa", Art Museum Arsenāls, Riga / Latvia*
"Kunst fra Lettland", Birkerod Kunstforening, Copenhagen / Denmark*
1988
"Riga – Lettische Avantgarde", Staatliche Kunsthalle, Berlin / Germany*
"Post-Traditionalism", Central House of Artists, Moscow / Russia*
1985
The 12th World-wide Students and Youth Festival Exhibition, Central House of Artists, Moscow / Russia*
"Youth", the 3rd Young Artists' Fine Art Exhibition of the Baltic Republics, Museum of Art, Vilnius / Lithuania*
1984
"Nature. Environment. Man", St. Peter's Church, Riga / Latvia
The 6th Painting Triennial of the Baltic Republics, Vilnius Art Museum, Vilnius / Lithuania*
All-Union Exhibition "Earth and People", Central House of Artists, Moscow / Russia*
1983
"Art of the Soviet Latvia", Central Exhibition Hall, Leningrad (St. Petersburg) / Russia*
1982
Young Artists' Exhibition of the Baltic Republics, State Museum of Art, Vilnius / Lithuania*
Painting Triennial of the Baltic Republics, Vilnius / Lithuania*
1981
Republican Portrait Exhibition, State Museum of Art, Riga / Latvia
1977
The 12th Young Artists' Exhibition, Museum of Foreign Art, Riga / Latvia*

* Catalogue

Works in collections:
Latvian National Museum of Art (previous title - State Museum of Art), Riga / Latvia
Artists' Union of Latvia Museum, Riga / Latvia
Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey / USA
Ludwig Museum, Aachen / Germany
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow / Russia