FOUNDATION AND OPERATION OF THE ASSOCIATION OF LATVIAN TEXTILE ART (1994–2014)

Abstract

Influenced by political and economic changes in Latvia in the mid-1990s of the 20th century artists in different fields of art came together and formed independent associations. Aija Baumane (1943–2019), artist and professor, the head of the Department of Textile Art at the Art Academy of Latvia (AAL), founded the Association of Latvian Textile Art (ALTA) together with ten textile artists from different generations.
 The aim of the research: to describe the significance of the Association of Latvian Textile Art activities in first 20 years of operation and to identify changes in textile art since the 1990s. ALTA's attempt to motivate and encourage Latvian textile artists to become involved in world art processes marks a transition in various aspects. New ways for expression were searched and different understanding developed in textile art, and thus the question of the traditionally accepted function of textile work was raised. Until now the operation and significance of ALTA have not been studied, although its impact on the development of the textile art sector is undeniable.
 The research is based on ALTA activity materials, mainly documented in the press - “Literatūra un Māksla”, “Māksla”, “Diena”, “Kultūras forums”, etc. as well as little studied and not systematized so far archive of the Association of Textile Art, located at the Department of Textile Art of the Art Academy of Latvia since the foundation of the association.