Ogre Photo Club’s 50th Anniversary Exhibition “(TRANS)FORMATIONS”
2019. On October 26, the photography exhibition “(TRANS)FORMATIONS” was opened at the Ogre History and Art Museum in honor of the Ogre Photo Club’s 50th anniversary. It showcased the works and achievements of its leaders, professional and nationally recognized photographers, and club members from campaigns and plein airs over the past ten years. The origins […]
2019. On October 26, the photography exhibition “(TRANS)FORMATIONS” was opened at the Ogre History and Art Museum in honor of the Ogre Photo Club’s 50th anniversary. It showcased the works and achievements of its leaders, professional and nationally recognized photographers, and club members from campaigns and plein airs over the past ten years.
The origins of the Ogre Photo Club can be traced back to 1969, when creative competitions between Latvian cities were broadcast on television. That year, viewers recognized the works of Ogre photographers as superior to those from Kuldīga. After the competition, the participants continued to meet and formed an association of photographers.
The Photo Club’s core values have always been associated with both the improvement of technical skills and the expansion of knowledge and horizons, achieved by inviting photographers, artists, and art historians to the club. These values have consistently been upheld by the club’s leaders: Ziedonis Krūmiņš (1969–1974), Aleksandrs Zobens (1974–1975), Egons Spuris (1975–1990), Raimo Lielbriedis (1999–2008), and Vitauts Mihalovskis (1990–1999 and 2008–2018).
Beyond photography, an important aspect of the club’s daily life is its environment – the exchange of ideas, sharing of experiences, and creative competition. Regular club member reviews, anonymous photography competitions, photo plein airs, and campaigns, such as “One Day in Ogre,” which took place in 1989, 2009, and 2018, are held. Over ten years (2008–2018), the photo club participated in summer plein airs throughout the Ogre region, capturing locals, natural landscapes, notable places, and everyday scenes.
The Ogre Photo Club is significant not only in Ogre but also in the annals of Latvian art history. Half of the authors whose works are currently in the permanent exhibition of the Latvian National Museum of Art were once active members of the photo club – Egons Spuris, Inta Ruka, Andrejs Grants. The works of Ruka and Grants are cornerstones of contemporary Latvian photography.
The achievements and accomplishments of the “Ogre Photo Club” during its 50 years of existence could be explored at the Ogre Museum.
