During the programme, participants explore space, form, materials, scale, positive and negative space, as well as the interaction between people and their environment. The programme encourages participants not only to discover and engage with art, but also to become its interpreters and creators themselves.

Programme Structure:

• Introduction to sculpture and the exhibition of contemporary spatial art from the Baltic region, “Exhale. Space”.

• The multisensory activity “Exhale. Space” – exploring the museum space through different senses.

• Creating a collaborative spatial composition, developing creativity, spatial thinking, and teamwork skills.

• Work with plaster – an introduction to plaster casting techniques and the principles of form-making.

The programme is adapted to different age groups and is intended for students in Grades 1–12 and adult groups (10–30 participants).

Programme dates: 15 October 2026 – 9 January 2027
Venue: Ogre History and Art Museum

Fee per session: EUR 1.50 per person

Registration:

Liena Subatiņa-Brazeviča, Museum Educator
Tel. +371 20217889
liena.subatina@ogresnovads.lv

“Exhale. Space” is a pulsating environment where experiences and cultural narratives meet, overlap and intertwine. It is a gathering point for different voices and artistic media, with each artist contributing a distinct narrative — from the raw vibrations of Icelandic landscapes, experiences of ancient hillforts and memories embedded in historic wooden architecture to intimate family archaeology and powerful socio-political statements.
The exhibition is rooted in themes of dialogue, empathy, space and time, with a particular focus on materiality and spatial thinking. Wood, metal, porcelain and sound move beyond their static roles, entering into dialogue with one another as well as with the surrounding space and architecture.
At its core, the exhibition is an invitation to reflect on the role and possibilities of contemporary art in today’s turbulent and uncertain world. At the same time, “Exhale. Space” evokes the world of childhood — a time when perception was still free from preconceptions, when we believed that objects had souls, that the sky could speak, and that entire imaginary worlds could be built from the simplest things found in a backyard.
The exhibition brings together a shared, poignant and at times unexpected reflection on vulnerability and healing, seeing and being saved, and the continuous experience of being present within ourselves and the spaces we inhabit. The exhibition aims to create a direct, vibrant and unmediated space for contemporary artistic exploration and engagement with pressing issues beyond the major cultural centres.
Come, breathe, and let yourself enter the space.

Artists: Aigars Bikše, Xiyao Chen & Julija Počiūtė, Daina Dieva, Rokas Dovydenas, Rimantas Milkintas, Kristine Mifsud, Oto Holgers Ozoliņš, Pauls Pudžs, Mykolas Sauka, Augustas Serapinas, Dārta Sidare, Elza Sīle, SkujaBraden.
Exhibition Team

Curator: Māris Grosbahs
Space: Oto Holgers Ozoliņš, Māris Grosbahs
Visual Identity: Anitra Eglīte-Poikāne
Communications: Laura Tuča
Technical Support: Guntars Andersons, Nils Miķelsons

]]> https://ogresmuzejs.lv/en/juris-germanis-solo-exhibition-about-the-human/ Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:10:41 +0000 https://ogresmuzejs.lv/juris-germanis-solo-exhibition-about-the-human/ On January 22, the Ogres History and Art Museum will open “ABOUT THE HUMAN,” a portrait exhibition by artist Juris Ģērmanis. In this collection, the artist invites you to explore his world of portraiture—featuring individuals he has encountered throughout various stages of his life. For over half a century, Ģērmanis has focused his work on the human figure, particularly portraits of his contemporaries, where he captures not only a physical likeness but also the subject’s personality, environment, and essence.

The exhibition features portraits with stories ranging from personal memories to cultural history. Among the subjects are chess grandmaster Mikhail Tal, the artist’s wife—sculptor Lūcija Kleina, stage actor Uldis Vazdiks, and other figures significant to the artist’s life, including personalities associated with Ogre and its surroundings.
Juris Ģērmanis is one of the most prominent figures of his generation in Latvian painting. He has participated in exhibitions since 1967, served as an educator, and has been an active member of the Artists’ Union of Latvia. Even at the age of 85, the artist continues to paint.

• learn what oil paints are;
• learn to identify the expressive techniques of impasto painting;
• gain an insight into the history of the invention of oil paints and impasto oil painting.

In the creative and practical part of the programme, participants will learn what pigments are, how oil paint is made, and try their hand at making their own oil paints and using them to create a painting that tells the story of an object.

The aim of the programme is to:

• introduce participants to the work of Dārta Madara Cielava and the themes of the exhibition, and develop an understanding of public and personal space in art;
• promote an understanding of impasto oil painting;
• encourage participants to reflect on their everyday lives and personal experiences, using painting as a means of visual expression;
• introduce participants to the process of making their own oil paints.

Duration: 1–1.5 hours, depending on the age group

Price: EUR 1.50 per person

The presentation and activities are adapted to the participants’ age group.

Target audience: students in Grades 1–4 and Grades 5–12

Registration: liena.subatina@ogresnovads.lv |20217889

Museum Educational Programme Case No. 1918: Freedom and Resistance for Grades 10-12

This programme introduces students to the key events of the 20th century that shaped Latvia’s path towards freedom and independence. Through an engaging and thought-provoking approach, participants explore the courage, choices and actions of individuals during different periods of history, discovering personal stories and historical events that have become an essential part of Latvia’s national identity.

During an interactive guided exploration of the exhibition, students will examine four major historical themes united by the enduring pursuit of freedom:

• World War I, the founding of the Republic of Latvia and the Latvian War of Independence;
• World War II, the Soviet and Nazi occupations of Latvia, and political repression;
• The National Partisan movement and other forms of resistance;
• The Awakening (Atmoda) and the restoration of Latvia’s independence.

The practical part of the programme encourages students to work with specially prepared activity folders, analyse historical sources and reflect on the power of language, symbolism and identity. Through role-playing activities, participants place themselves in the situations faced by people of the time, making difficult decisions and considering the consequences of their actions. The session concludes with a discussion that encourages students to reflect on the meaning of freedom and its significance today.

Participation fee: €1.50 per student

Duration: 2 hours

Registration:  uldis.veliks@ogresnovads.lv

Museum Educational Programme Case No. 1918: Freedom, Identity and Self-Determination for Grades 5-9

This programme encourages students to explore the importance of freedom, identity and self-determination in both Latvia’s history and contemporary society.

It invites participants to consider that freedom is not merely a historical achievement or a value won once and for all, but an ongoing process built upon everyday choices, responsibility, participation and civic engagement. The programme helps students strengthen their sense of belonging to Latvia while developing an understanding of national identity and its significance.

The first part of the programme takes students on an interactive journey through the exhibition. Guided by thought-provoking questions, discussions and moments for reflection, participants explore Latvia’s path to freedom by tracing the most significant events and personalities of the 20th century whose courage, decisions and actions shaped the nation’s history.

The exhibition narrative is organised around four key historical themes:

• World War I, the founding of the Republic of Latvia and the Latvian War of Independence;
• World War II, the Soviet and Nazi occupations of Latvia, and political repression;
• The National Partisan movement and other forms of resistance;
• The Awakening (Atmoda) and the restoration of Latvia’s independence.

During the second part of the programme, students work in groups, examining historical sources, documents and archival materials. Through a variety of practical tasks, they analyse information, evaluate historical events critically and seek answers to questions about freedom, personal choice and identity.

Participants are encouraged to connect historical events with their own experiences, values and personal identity while developing their ability to express and justify their opinions.

The programme concludes with a discussion about the symbols of freedom and their significance in Latvian culture and society, exploring how they reflect national identity, belonging and shared values. Students are invited to share their impressions of the programme and reflect on the ideas, stories and experiences that inspired or surprised them most.

Participation fee: €1.50 per student

Duration: 2 hours

Registration: uldis.veliks@ogresnovads.lv

Museum Educational Programme Case No. 1918: Freedom and Courage Through a Child’s Eyes for Grades 1-4

In this programme, historical events are presented through simple language, educational games and creative activities designed specifically for younger learners.

Children explore Latvia’s history through the values of courage, unity and love for their country, without the need to engage with complex historical details. The programme encourages them to understand history through their own feelings, experiences and associations.

As they journey through the exhibition, students discover four major events of the 20th century that shaped Latvia’s path to freedom. Each theme is accompanied by an interactive activity, game or practical task, helping children understand the key events that contributed to the creation of the Latvian state and its national identity.

The programme explores:

• the development of the Latvian people’s aspiration for their own independent state;
• World War I in the territory of Latvia, the Latvian Riflemen, the Latvian War of Independence, the founding of the Republic of Latvia, the achievement of independence, recognition symbols and military awards, as well as Latvia’s development and innovations during the interwar period;
• World War II, the occupations of Latvia, the National Partisans, different forms of resistance, and the preservation of objects important to Latvian identity;
• the Awakening (Atmoda), the Baltic Way, the Barricades and the restoration of Latvia’s independence.

During the creative workshop, children draw what they love most about Latvia, inspired by what they have experienced during the programme. The session concludes with singing a song together, fostering a sense of community and belonging.

Participation fee: €1.50 per student

Duration: 1.5 hours

Registration: uldis.veliks@ogresnovads.lv

Location: 2 Brīvības Street, Ogre

The programme was developed by museum education programme methodologist Ieva Laube in collaboration with the Ogre History and Art Museum.

The museum education sessions are included in the cultural education programme “Latvian School Bag”.

Photo: Oksana Okmi Mizgajeva

In 1998, my family moved to Lēdmane in the Ogre district, and my sister and I continued our studies in the third grade at Lēdmane Primary School. The unfamiliar place and new school environment created in me a sense of insecurity and not belonging that remained throughout the following school years, until I graduated in 2004.

In recent years, public discussions about the closure of small rural schools have become increasingly frequent in Latvia. These school closures prompted me to return to my former school, with both the school building itself and my memories becoming central subjects of the photographs, but above all, my feelings about it. Through this visual work, I explore the emotional impact that this period of my school life has had on me. Although I was never kept back at school after classes, in dramaturgical terms, some unfinished inner action, or perhaps an unfulfilled need, compelled me to return there — almost 23 years after I had left.

Madara Rutkēviča (1988) is a writer and dramaturg. She studied Television, Film and Theatre Dramaturgy at the Latvian Academy of Culture. Since 2016, she has worked at Theatre of Valmiera. As a dramaturg and actress, she has also worked at the New Riga Theatre, Mikhail Chekhov Riga Russian Theatre, Dirty Deal Teatro, and other institutions. She has turned to photography, or visual storytelling, as an additional means of expression. She completed ISSP’s two-year Developing Photographic Language programme (2024–2026), and participated in the graduates’ group photography exhibition 1.5 HA with her work Ask Me Something Easier.

Exhibition artist and spatial concept: Madara Rutkēviča
Curator: Elīna Cērpa

Graphic Design: Anitra Eglīte-Poikāne

What did students’ “tablets” look like in the past?

Long before digital screens, students had a completely different kind of “tablet” in their everyday lives — slate tablets, on which they wrote, did calculations, and learned letters and numbers using a slate pencil. Made a mistake? No problem — a sponge or cloth, and the tablet was ready for the next exercise. No battery. No Wi-Fi.

These tablets also preserve personal stories. The collection of the Ogres Museum of History and Art includes schoolchildren’s slate tablets on which scratches, lines, and individual traces of writing can still be seen.

How old is this particular tablet? Visit the Ogres Museum of History and Art at 36 Brīvības Street and come see this special object for yourself.

Image: Schoolchild’s slate tablet. Collection of the Ogres Museum of History and Art

Senior Morning dates in 2026:

September 22; October 13; November 17; December 15

Location: Ogre History and Art Museum, Brīvības Street 36
More information: +371 65024345