The first Riga Contemporary Art Fair concludes in Riga with 12,000 visitors

This past weekend, the first international contemporary art fair Riga Contemporary concluded in Riga, gathering more than 12,000 visitors and 43 galleries from 16 countries over four days. Among the participants were leading contemporary art galleries from Tokyo, London, Milan, Vienna, Seoul, Amsterdam, New York, the Baltics, and the Nordic countries, presenting works by over 85 artists.

A significant contribution to the creation of the international program came from Tokyo-based gallerist Jeffrey Rosen (MISAKO & ROSEN), whose involvement, in collaboration with Kim? Contemporary Art Centre, helped attract globally renowned participants.

Among the participants – major contemporary art galleries and initiatives from around the world

Participants included prominent names such as MISAKO & ROSEN (Japan), eastcontemporary (Italy), Polina Berlin Gallery (USA), Gallerina & Arcadia Missa (United Kingdom), ROH (Indonesia), SOPHIE TAPPEINER (Austria), Whistle (South Korea), Shimmer (Netherlands), The Green Gallery and Good Weather (USA), Artbeat (Georgia), Gauli Zitter (Belgium), Season 4 Episode 6 and Roland Ross (United Kingdom), Satoko Oe Contemporary and Lee Saya (Japan), CASTIGLIONI (Italy), A Thousand Plateaus (China), Beau Travail (Sweden), BWA Warszawa (Poland), as well as Leto and Turnus (Poland).

The representation of galleries from the Baltic region was content-rich and diverse. From Estonia: Temnikova & Kasela, Tütar Gallery, and Kogo Gallery; from Lithuania: Drifts, Editorial, The Rooster Gallery, and Vartai; from Finland: SIC and Pitted Dates. Latvia was represented at Riga Contemporary by Kim? Contemporary Art Centre, Māksla XO, Alma, 427, ISSP Gallery, LOOK! Gallery, CUT ART, TUR Telpa, and VV Foundation.

“I would like to say that this is what Riga should be. The idea of a contemporary art fair in Riga has finally come to life, and that is very significant. The atmosphere is great, and the level of the galleries is truly high,” said Māra Lāce, Director of the Latvian National Museum of Art, at the opening of Riga Contemporary.

On the opening night alone, Riga Contemporary welcomed over 3,000 visitors – artists, curators, collectors, and art enthusiasts from Latvia and abroad. Almost 20% of the total attendance consisted of international guests from Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, the USA, Finland, and the Baltics.

Riga Contemporary public program, held July 11–12, featured a series of discussions and talks involving artists, curators, business leaders, legal professionals, and tech experts. Topics included the evolution of the gallery format, the impact of institutions on creative practice, the intersection of law and digital culture, new collecting models, and the growing role of technology in artistic creation.

The program opened with a discussion titled “The Role of Galleries in the 21st Century,” led by Jeffrey Rosen and featuring gallery owner Olga Temnikova (Temnikova & Kasela Gallery, Tallinn), artist Indriķis Ģelzis, and Simian Art Center co-founders Markus von Platen and Toke Flivholm from Copenhagen. 

Later that day, the panel “Institutional Power and the Artist’s Voice,” moderated by Valentinas Klimašauskas (CAC, Vilnius), included Ita O’Neill (Amos Rex, Helsinki), Michal Novotný (National Gallery in Prague), and artist Maija Kurševa. It was a conversation about artist autonomy and representation within the institutional context.

Other discussion participants included Matilde Tariello (Artsy, London), John Riepenhoff (The Green Gallery, Milwaukee), Alexander Lukas Bieri (The Roche Historical Collection and Archive, Basel), Liina Vahtras (e-residency, Tallinn), Lisa Berentsen (Vienna Insurance Group, Vienna), Anna Mustonen (KIASMA), Lolita Jablonskienė (National Gallery of Art, Vilnius), and Vita Liberte (VV Foundation, Pāvilosta).

The talks also featured Riga-based cultural figures such as Ieva Zībārte (architect and writer), Zane Čulkstēna (Kim? Contemporary Art Centre), Astrīda Rogule (Latvian National Museum of Art), Santa Rubīna (Sorainen), Jānis Zuzāns (Zuzeum), and Raitis Šmits (RIXC).

“We aimed to create a platform that brings new energy to the Baltic contemporary art scene – one that is challenging, professional, and inclusive,” said Zane Čulkstēna, founder of Kim? Contemporary Art Centre. “And the very first Riga Contemporary has proven that – the interest from galleries, artists, and visitors exceeded all expectations. Immense thanks to all Riga Contemporary supporters and partners, including Riga City Council and Hanzas Perons, without whose support this event would not have been possible on such a large scale. The greatest thanks go to the entire team and all the gallerists for their dedication and outstanding results.”

Riga Contemporary Team: Founder – Zane Čulkstēna; Program Directors – Jeffrey Rosen and Zane Onckule; Executive Director – Evita Goze. Head of Strategic Partnerships and Collector Programs – Dārta Purvlīce; Communications Manager – Žanete Liekīte; Marketing and Public Relations Manager – Signe Nīgale; Artist Relations Manager – Katrīna Jauģiete; Public Program Manager – Elīna Lazareva; Visual Identity – Dans Jirgensons and Pauls Rietums.

Riga Contemporary was organized by Kim? Contemporary Art Centre in collaboration with Riga City Council and supported by partners – Hanzas Perons, BTA, Citadele, Sorainen, MINI, Inchcape, British Council, Kalve Coffee Roasters, Art Fairs Service, Magnum X, Zuzeum, and VV Foundation.
Media partners: Pastaiga, Radio SWH, Ir, Emergent Magazine, Arterritory, Imperfekt, JCDecaux, and L’Officiel.