Meadow
The Latvian National Centre for Culture (LNKC), in collaboration with the Latvian National Museum of Art (LNMM), is organizing the exhibition "Meadow" at the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design (MDAD) from June 11 to August 24, 2025. The exhibition will showcase textile works by the renowned artist Iveta Vecenāne, alongside traditional woven blankets crafted by artisans from various regions of Latvia.
The concept of the "Meadow" exhibition is to create a multidimensional space for discussions on the relationship between people, nature, and art in today’s world. The exhibition coincides with the International Folklore Festival "BALTICA 2025" and the 13th Latvian School Youth Song and Dance Festival, providing a unique opportunity for dialogue between professional and folk art within the realm of textile craftsmanship. Furthermore, it encourages broader conversations on cultural heritage, the synergy between different cultural fields, and the interconnections between textile art, design, and traditional crafts. The exhibition aims to foster an appreciation for the preservation and development of folk applied arts, ensuring their transmission to future generations.
The "Meadow" exhibition will feature a collection of Iveta Vecenāne’s tapestries alongside 200 traditionally woven blankets created by Latvian folk craft masters. Designed for a wide audience, the exhibition offers an inspiring and visually engaging experience, allowing visitors to explore the rich diversity of materials, techniques, and color combinations found in both Latvian folk and professional textile art.
Iveta Vecenāne (b. 1962) is a textile artist specializing in classical tapestry weaving techniques. She graduated from the Latvian Academy of Arts' Department of Textile Art in 1988 under the guidance of Rūdolfs Heimrāts and earned her master's degree in 2004. Since 1985, she has actively participated in exhibitions both in Latvia and internationally. As part of public diplomacy efforts, she has represented Latvian culture through exhibitions in the United States, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Italy, China, Lithuania, Finland, and other countries.
The process of weaving large-scale compositions in the tapestry technique is both labor-intensive and meditative. In her creative practice, Vecenāne masterfully combines the weaving skills she has honed over the years with the expressive freedom of painting and a vibrant use of color. The textile works displayed in this exhibition were created over a nine-year period, reflecting the artist’s eternal source of inspiration — the meadow, which captivates with its ever-changing colors in different seasons and times of day.
The exhibition will also showcase a collection of woven blankets from all regions of Latvia, selected by representatives of the Latvian National Centre for Culture in collaboration with exhibition scenographer Dace Džeriņa. These contemporary woven blankets reflect each craft master’s individual artistic taste while preserving traditional weaving techniques, compositional principles, and the color palettes characteristic of different Latvian regions. The carefully selected collection of blankets, combined with Iveta Vecenāne’s textile works, will create a vibrant, colorful meadow—a space where creativity, constant renewal, and centuries-old craftsmanship come together.
The overall atmosphere of the exhibition—both traditional and contemporary, reflective and awe-inspiring – will be enriched by the musical soundscape composed by Ilga Reizniece.
Throughout the duration of the exhibition, an extensive educational program will be offered, featuring insights from experts in cultural management, textile art and history, exhibition scenography, design, and biology.
