The Rothko Museum in Daugavpils, Latvia, is one of the 21st century’s most ambitious cultural projects in Eastern Europe. Located in the historical artillery arsenal of the Daugavpils Fortress, this multifunctional hub for art, culture and education remains an evolving and inspiring place for creative expression and experience.
The majestic exterior of the sweeping heritage building fully matches the interior design and the quality of art on display, where original paintings by Mark Rothko, a pioneer of abstract expressionism and colour field painting, renowned as one of the 20th century’s most influential artists, take pride of place.
In addition to showcasing Rothko’s work (and being the only space in Europe, other than the Tate Gallery in London, to have a permanent room of original Rothkos with up to six paintings on display), the museum holds four exhibition seasons per year, totalling up to 30 different projects across 2500 square metres of gallery space. These solo and group show projects trace current trends and developments in local and international art, offering a diverse and exciting range of experiences for art enthusiasts.
Apart from gallery space, the Rothko Museum has dedicated areas where its educational and entertainment functions get shaped, such as a concert hall, a conference sector, residence rooms and studios, where artists are welcome to stay and work, and a children’s space, where kids can explore their creativity and be educated about art.
In 2022, the Rothko Museum acquired additional gallery space in the Martinsons House, a new cultural venue a few steps away from the main museum building. Besides a permanent display, The City of Dreams, featuring original works by the great ceramicist Pēteris Martinsons, visitors to the new extension can enjoy rotating temporary exhibitions.
Adjacent to the Martinsons House, the Daugavpils Fortress’s 7th bastion casemate has been converted into an open-storage chamber for contemporary ceramics from the Rothko Museum Collection. Displaying over a hundred artworks from 40 countries, the open-access solution, available free of charge, enables the public to explore the diversity of the ceramic medium and appreciate the artists’ creativity and mastery of different earthen materials (ranging from clay and chamotte to stoneware and porcelain) across multiple firing techniques.
Things to do:
- see a permanent display of original paintings by Mark Rothko and learn about his life and art in the Rothko room;
- enjoy temporary exhibitions of renowned Latvian and international contemporary artists;
- take a guided tour of the museum and/or the Daugavpils Fortress;
- use the museum’s reading room to browse books and magazines about art;
- explore the amazing diversity and technical brilliance of contemporary ceramics by visiting the Martinsons House and the open-storage chamber in fortress’s bastion casemate;
- tap into your creativity in workshops and master classes;
- spend the night in the museum’s residency rooms, available on booking.com.
