The Art Academy of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Mākslas akadēmija) is an art school located in Riga, Latvia. It was founded in 1919 by Vilhelms Purvītis and began teaching in 1921. Its main building is a neo-Gothic brick building at 13 Kalpaka Boulevard, near the Latvian National Museum of Art.
Contents
History
Building
The academy's main building was designed by architect Wilhelm Bockslaff and built between 1902 and 1905 for the Riga Stock Exchange Commercial School. Sculptor August Volz created the sandstone column capitals and other sculptural decoration. The interior has Art Nouveau stained-glass windows made in Ernst Tode's workshop. The academy moved into the building in 1940.
Foundation and early years
On 4 May 1919, the Soviet Latvian government announced plans for a proletarian art workshop, but it never opened. The Provisional Government of Latvia established the academy on 20 August 1919, with Vilhelms Purvītis as its first rector. Teaching began on 12 October 1921.
The early teaching staff included Purvītis, Rihards Zariņš and Jānis Kuga. The academy first occupied premises on Kronvalda Boulevard, then moved to the Railway Administration building in 1922. Its first constitution (Satversme) was adopted by the Saeima on 7 February 1924 and proclaimed by President Jānis Čakste. Between 1921 and 1940, the academy awarded diplomas to 219 artists.
Occupation periods
Following the Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940, the institution was renamed the State Art Academy. In 1944, it became the State Art Academy of the Latvian SSR. During the Soviet era, it came under several state bodies, including the Ministry of Culture and committees responsible for higher education.
From 1973 to 1988, it was named the Teodors Zaļkalns State Art Academy of the Latvian SSR, after the sculptor and former faculty member Teodors Zaļkalns. Its original name, Art Academy of Latvia, was restored in 1988.
Organization
Faculties
The Academy has 5 faculties:
Faculty of Visual Arts (2D)
Department of Painting
Department of Graphic Art
Department of Textile Art
Department of Drawing
Faculty of Visual Plastic Arts (3D)
Department of Sculpture
Department of Ceramics
Department of Glass Art
Faculty of Design
Department of Functional Design
Department of Environmental Art
Department of Metal Design
Department of Fashion Design
Faculty of Audio-Visual Media Art
Department of Visual Communication
Department of Motion, Image, and Sound
Department of Stage Design
Faculty of Art History
Department of Art History and Theory
Department of Restoration
Department of Humanities
Latgale Branch
The academy has a branch in Latgale located in Rēzekne.
Notable alumni
Arturs Akopjans – figurative and abstract artist
Ansis Artums – landscape painter
Lidija Auza – assemblage and abstract artist
Biruta Baumane – 2002 winner of the Baltic Assembly Prize for Literature, the Arts and Science
Anšlavs Eglītis – novelist and author of short stories
Sandra Kalniete – Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Commissioner and Member of the European Parliament
Gunārs Lūsis – graphic designer who, along with Jānis Strupulis, designed the post-Soviet lat coin
Ludmilla Meilerts – landscape painter
Kārlis Padegs – expressionist painter
Ināra Tetereva – philanthropist behind the Boris and Ināra Teterev fund, a Latvian patron of the arts
Ēvī Upeniece – sculptor