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| Exhibition
at Beverley
Art Gallery |
| 5
April - 10 May 2008 |
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Laimonis
Mierins
Paintings and Drawings - An Appreciation
Beverley Art Gallery, Beverley |
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| Exhibition
at Tvorchestvo
Gallery,
Moscow |
| 29
August - 9 September 2007 |
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| Laimonis
Mierins has been invited by The Society of Latvians, Culture Section,
in Moscow (MLKB) to exhibit 11 paintings at the Tvorchestvo Gallery,
Moscow. He is one of three artists to be represented in a show curated
by John Dambitis which opens on 29 August and continues until 9 September
2007. The exhibition is supported by The City of Moscow. |
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| Leigh
Francis
- The Comedy Map of Britain |
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| Laimonis
Mierins was recently filmed meeting and reminiscing with his former
student Leigh Francis for a new TV series called The Comedy Map of
Britain. Francis, better known as Avid Merrion - a character from
his irrerverent TV show, Bo Selecta - studied under Mierins at Leeds
College of Art. He told the producers of Comedy Map that Mierins'
outstanding life drawing classes had had a profound influence on him
and asked whether they could organise a reunion at the college. Mierins
remembers Francis as a very creative and engaging student and the
two enjoyed some lively banter in front of the camera. Francis has
since invited Mierins to be interviewed on his own TV show. |
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| Exhibition
at Gallery II, University of Bradford |
| 26
January - 23 February 2007 |
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CREDO
by Laimonis Mierins, Gallery II, Chesham Building, University of Bradford
Mierins
held an exhibition of paintings and drawings entitled 'Credo' at Gallery
II, University of Bradford, as part of their Spring/Summer 2007 season.
For further information about Gallery II, please visit: www.brad.ac.uk/admin/gallery/ |
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| Exhibition
at Sewerby Hall, Bridlington |
| 13
May - 2 July 2006 |
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This
exhibition is the second in a series of retrospective exhibitions
2005-6 supported by the Arts Council of England. The show was
officially opened by Sara Trentham, Visual Arts Officer for
the Arts Council on 12 May 2006.
The exhibition is supported by
The Arts Council, England & East Riding of Yorkshire Council. |
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Mierins
receives Latvia's Civil Honour
'the Order of Three Stars' |
| October
2005 |
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The
Chancery of the State President of Latvia announced in October 2005
that Laimonis Mierins was to be awarded the Order of Three Stars (IV).
The Order of the Three Stars was established in 1924 to commemorate
the founding of the Latvian State on November 18, 1918 and is Latvia's
highest civilian honour. The Order's motto is Per aspera ad astra
(Through thorns toward the stars), as testimony to the fact that great
achievements are often attained in the face of adversity, toil and
suffering. The Order is conferred in recognition of outstanding civil
merit in the service of Latvia.
This important honour was bestowed on Mierins at a special ceremony
to mark Latvian Independence Day hosted by the President of Latvia,
Vaira Vike-Freiberga, in Riga on 11 November 2005. Nine days later,
the artist attended a ceremony at the Latvian Welfare Club, Leeds,
where he received an Honorary Diploma for outstanding achievements
in Fine Art. The award was conferred on him by the World Federation
of Free Latvians (PBLA KF).
Laimonis
Mierins's retrospective exhibition will be shown at Sewerby Hall,
Bridlington, East Yorkshire from 13 May to 2 July 2006.
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| Exhibition
at the Portfolio Gallery, Barnsley, South Yorkshire |
| 11
June - 21 July 2005 |
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Portfolio
Gallery, 2nd Floor, Polyanna Building, High Street, Barnsley
Opening Hours:
Monday and Saturday 9am - 5.30pm
Tuesday to Friday 9am - 6.30pm
Sunday 12 noon - 4pm
Admission Free |
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The
exhibition at the Portfolio Gallery was the first in a series of retrospective
exhibitions 2005-6 supported by the Arts Council of England. The show
was officially opened by Sara Trentham, Visual Arts Officer for the
Arts Council on Sunday 12 June. A new illustrated catalogue of paintings
and drawings funded by the Arts Council was also launched to critical
acclaim, and both it and the exhibits are selling well. The catalogue,
designed by Alison
Fox includes an appreciation of Mierins's art by John Sheeran
and a commentary on his motivation and working methods by the artist.
For further information and to view the exhibition, please visit www.pollyanna.com
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| Major
Prize for Modern Art Awarded to Laimonis Mierins on Latvian Independence
Day |
| 18
November 2004 |
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It
was announced today that the distinguished Latvian emigré
artist Laimonis Mierins has been awarded the most prestigious
art prize for modern Latvian art and literature for artists
living outside Latvia. The Anslavs Eglitis and Veronika Janelsins
Award, instigated by the eminent and popular Latvian writer
Anslavs Eglitis (1906-1993) and his wife, the notable painter
Veronika Janelsins (1910-2001), was first awarded in 1993. Previous
winners have included artists and poets. |
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The
award was made in recognition of Mierins' contribution to Latvian
fine art, especially his abstract painting which was commended for
its 'complex and effective imagery' and his art criticism, praised
for its 'exemplary literary writing style'. Mierins, who settled in
England as a refugee in 1947 lives and has a studio in Bradford, West
Yorkshire. He has been a regular contributor of art criticism to Jauna
Gaita for the past 40 years, mainly contributing pieces about UK exhibitions,
including reviews of the Brit Art 'wild boys'.
Eglitis
and Janelsins set up home in Palisades, Los Angeles, California as
refugees after World War II. Before Mr. Eglitis's death, he and his
wife established The Anslavs Eglitis and Veronika Janelsins Foundation
to award an annual prize for literature or modern art to writers,
poets, and painters who have advanced the cause of Latvian art whilst
living in exile. The 2004 prize for modern art, worth $20,000, was
awarded to Laimonis Mierins on Latvian Independence Day, 18 November
2004 and has been widely reported by the Latvian national and emigré
press and media. |
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| Paintings
by Laimonis Mierins and Jo Brown |
| 27
June - 8 August 2004 |
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Portfolio
Gallery, 2nd Floor, Polyanna Building, High Street, Barnsley
Opening Hours:
Monday and Saturday 9am-5.30pm
Tuesday to Friday 9am-6.30pm
Sunday 12 noon - 4pm
Admission Free
Official Private View:
Sunday 18th July at 2pm |
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Laimonis
Mierins and Jo Brown have been selected for a six week, two person
exhibition at the Portfolio Gallery, High Street, Barnsley from
27 June-8 August 2004. Curated by Lee Corner, who has over 25 years
of experience working with artists nationally and internationally,
the exhibition includes 18 paintings by Mierins.
The
Portfolio Gallery, on the second floor of the famous Pollyanna store
right in the heart of Barnsley, is the brain child of the photographer
John Britton and Andy Boyle, an accountant. Their aim is to sell
contemporary art of the highest quality. Pollyanna was established
more than 35 years ago by Rita and Geofry Britton and boasts world
famous designer collections including Tves Saint Laurent, Jean Muir,
Comme des Garcons, Issy Myake and Yohji Yamamoto.
For further information and to view the exhibition, please visit
www.pollyanna.com
If
you would like to be placed on a mailing list to receive regular
updates on the gallery's exhibition programme, please email your
full name, address and contact telephone number to info@portfoliogallery.co.uk.
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| Union
of Latvian Artists Honours Laimonis Mierins |
| June
2004 |
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| During
a recent visit to Latvia, Laimonis Mierins was surprised and delighted
to be honoured by a champagne celebration in honour of his 75th birthday.
During the event he was given a beautifully printed festschrift compiled
and presented by the artist Egils Rozenbergs, President of the Union
of Latvian Artists, and Ruth Chaupova, the distinguished Latvian art
critic. |
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Bradford
Open
House - Studio
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| 18
- 27 June 2004 |
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| Laimonis
Mierins had a succession of interesting and interested visitors
during the Bradford International Festival's recent Open Studios'
week, 18 - 27 June 2004. Many paintings and drawings were available
for sale. As well as making a number of sales, Mierins welcomed
curator Lee Corner, who has over 25 years' experience of working
with artists nationally and internationally. She selected 18
previously unexhibited paintings to be shown at the Portfolio
Gallery, Barnsley alongside the work of Jo Brown. The exhibition,
which opened on Sunday 27 June, will run for six weeks. |
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| Recent
commissions include his two large abstract paintings for the
cruise ship 'Constellation'. The paintings, called
Closing In and Turquoise Fireworks, are now on
display in the liner's music room. 'Constellation' is owned
by Celebrity Cruises, one of the highest-rated premium cruise
lines in the industry. 'I was delighted to be asked to paint
the two pictures and am very pleased to have my paintings on
permanent display on such a wonderful ship', comments the artist. |
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| Mierins
Exhibition at Dean Clough, Halifax, UK |
| 5
July - 7 September 2003 |
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| This
was the first major exhibition of Laimonis Mierins' work to be shown
in the North of England since his retrospective in 1995. The exhibition
comprised two sections: a display of 32 paintings in the Conference
Room at Dean Clough and 20 large figure drawings in the adjoining
Seminar Room. All works were for sale. |
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is delighted to have shown his work at Dean Clough which is one of
the most important venues for the visual arts in the North (www.deanclough.com).
Open daily 10am - 5pm, Dean Clough is situated on the northern side
of Halifax, just off the A629. Originally a complex of carpet weaving
factories, the site now houses over 100 companies and an impressive
list of arts-related organisations including a theatre, restaurant,
design shop and nine galleries. It is also home to The Henry Moore
Studio and to a satellite campus of The Slade School of Art. |
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The
exhibition was curated by Sheeran Lock (www.sheeranlock.com),
which organised Mierins' first retrospective exhibition in 1995.
This toured to the State Museum of Fine Art, Riga, Latvia; Cartwright
Hall, Bradford; and the Barbican Centre, London, where it was attended
by ambassadors from numerous countries around the world. An illustrated
monograph on the artist, published by Sheeran Lock, is available
by contacting the artist.
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| Mierins
Exhibition at the Riga Gallery, Latvia |
| 27
May - 14 June 2003 |
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This
exhibition is Mierins' second major solo exhibition at the
Riga Gallery. Situated in the centre of the Latvian capital,
it is one of the most prestigious commercial art galleries
in the Baltic States. Mierins' last exhibition at the venue,
in 2001, received tremendous publicity on television, radio
and in the national press, and the artist was honoured by
a visit to the exhibition by the President of Latvia, Mrs
Vaira Vike-Freiberga and her husband Professor Imants Freibergs.
The President was shown around the exhibition by the artist
and she expressed great interest in his work, asking many
questions about his paintings and drawings. She purchased
a large acrylic painting entitled Red Whirlpool for
the Presidential Art Collection. The painting is now hanging
in the President's official residence in Riga Castle and is
prominently displayed in a room where the President receives
foreign dignitaries and her ministers.
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| Visitors
to the 2003 exhibition included Janis Kazocins, Director of
the Latvian Consitution Protection Bureau. He purchased a charcoal
figure drawing and a painting entitled Penetration (pictured
above) which is also illustrated in the Latvian Encyclopædia
of Art. |
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