During the 41st International Hanseatic Days, a visual arts event will take place in Riga within the framework of the HANSEartWORKS project. This will be the 15th edition of this ambitious international exhibition. Within its framework, artists from various Hanseatic cities have created works specifically designed for this event, guided by the same leitmotiv, ‘New Hanseatic Gold’. 43 applications from 23 Hanseatic cities were received for the competition. In the exhibition, the main event of the project, 30 artists from Estonia, Russia, Latvia, the UK, the Netherlands, Poland, Germany and Sweden representing 20 Hanseatic cities will take part. Conceptually, the exhibition features two parts: at Riga Art Space exhibition hall you will be able to see works that can be described as New Media — 3D, multimedia installations and art works or objects that embody artistic expression and feature technical solutions that go far beyond traditional art. Riga St. Peter’s Church,in turn, will host the second part of the exhibition: paintings and graphics created with traditional techniques and approaches. The list of participants includes such prominent artists as Al Paldrok and Taje Paldrok from Estonia, Agnieszka Lakoma from Poland, and Oleg Vasilyev from Russia. Latvia will be represented by Annemarija Gulbe, Ilze Vanaga, Ieva Vītola-Lindkvista, Ole Lindkvists from Kuldīga, Elīna Māliņa from Koknese and Ilze Laizāne from Riga. The scenography and central installations exhibited at the Riga Art Space exhibition hall were designed by painter and scenographer Kristians Brekte, as well as the US-based internationally renown installation artist and scenographer Artūrs Virtmanis. The exhibition engages in an indirect dialogue between historic and current Hanseatic values to highlight the shared and most valuable items that we can offer instead of gold in the modern era.

During the Hanseatic Days from 19 August to 22 August, admission is free of charge.

The online exhibition opens on Thursday, 19 August, at 12:00, streamed from the Riga Art Space exhibition hall. For more information, see: www.rigahanza.lv, www.makslastelpa.riga.lv.

Organised by the Association of Riga City Council Culture Organisations, Riga Art Space exhibition hall and the administration of Riga St. Peter’s Church in cooperation with the Internationale Arbeitsgemeinschaft HanseArtWorks. The 41st International Hanseatic Days in Riga are organised by the Riga City Council in cooperation with cities of the Hanseatic League.