Vija Celmins

The Fondation Beyeler is dedicating an extensive solo exhibition to the draughtswoman and painter Vija Celmins (*1938, Riga). Celmins' art is characterized by a subtle yet powerful visual language. Initially, the artist focused on everyday objects as well as disaster and war scenes. She soon turned her attention to the surface structures of spider webs, oceans and deserts, and later to the night sky and galaxies in particular. Her pictures elude a cursory glance; however, if one allows oneself to become involved with them, they unfold a fascinating beauty in the interplay of proximity and distance. The exhibition presents a selection of Celmins' works created from the 1960s to the present day, allowing visitors to experience the magical effect of her visual worlds. A number of sculptures - described by Celmins herself as "three-dimensional paintings" - will also be on display. The show is rounded off by a new group of works that continue Celmins' long-standing intensive exploration of surfaces and depth of space. This is the most important presentation of Celmins' work in Europe for almost 20 years.