Interview with: Ilgonis Rinkis   

October 2025
 

Welcome Ilgonis Rinkis, first tell us about your background and why you chose to pursue this career.
I have been passionate about drawing since I was a child. I discovered my mother’s sketchbooks hidden in the attic of my house, and that made my introduction to art even more special. As a small child, I tried to sketch winding rivers, trees, flowers, and even people, just like my mother had illustrated. My grandmother also loved to draw, although she was often busy and didn’t have much time. However, she always supported me, encouraging me with kind words and praise, which meant a lot to me. The next skills, interest were acquired in high school from a Fine Arts teacher. He created a special Fine Arts classroom at school — with color families, gamuts. He taught me to think — what is a contrasting color, dominant, etc.. Later, for four years, I studied painting, drawing and composition at the courses Latvian Academy of Arts preparatory courses that lasted 4 years. It was a very energetic and active time, even during half- terms we got together and held parties. Each time we proposed a topic that served as the theme of the event. In parallel with the courses, I studied at the in two studios. This was followed by a long break in painting. I started working in book publishing houses as a layout artist. ... and then one day after many years..that is 5 years ago — I found my old wooden oil paint box, palette — I felt the smell of linseed oil and turpentine. And my love for painting blossomed again in my soul. I slowly started painting again.

 

Do you remember the first work of art that moved you?
I don't want to highlight my first work of art in particular — it's all like one process, like a solid statue from which everything superfluous has been removed over time. Early works are still preserved in one folder, but I can't highlight them. Many paintings were created as a result of some event, there was some impulse, emotional excitement. For example, I have a painting — "The Secret Door of the Castle". A charming Italian lady, as a guide, showed me the famous places of Rome. It was July, hot, and she offered to go to an old, beautiful castle. Cicadas were constantly chirping in the inner garden of the castle. It was really hot. We entered the castle premises, there was a pleasant coolness. Somewhere at the end of the room a sound was heard, as if a door was being rattled, opened. But there was no one there. A charming guide told me that a beautiful lady lived in the castle, who was sad about her lost love and waiting for it again. She was walking through the secret corridors of the castle and opening the doors. It was a very beautiful and exciting story. Many years passed before I decided to paint this vision. As a prototype, I depicted my beautiful, amazing Italian guide — she is amazing in everything - in life, family, communication, clothing. When I went to a concert with her, she was so charmingly able to apply powder and look in a small mirror, saying - “My Love — just one more stroke”, and it was said so irresistibly. She used the word “stroke” from the vocabulary of painters, because painters use brush strokes. Thus another painting with her was created — with this charming, beautiful, mysterious lady.

Your practice also includes painting. Over the decades, there has been repeated talk about the possible death of painting, which in fact never happened. How do you see the future and development of this medium?
I am not a clairvoyant to predict the future. Yes, such talk is heard - with the advent of photography, computer graphics, and now — artificial intelligence. Painting is a work created by hand — there are human emotions, craftsmanship and the result of the spiritual synthesis characteristic of man. Painting reflects our time, prevailing thoughts, fashion impulses, styles. It will be interesting even after many centuries. Paintings created in previous history are very fascinating — they are not only interesting in everything — expressing people, clothes, the environment and the artist's ideas, but also expensive. Painting is changeable, but eternal as a form of fine art. As a reflection of the human soul, love, thoughts.

This short interview is over. Would you like to tell us something about your artistic research?
How was your collaboration with our gallery?
I am very happy about the opportunity to collaborate with the Florence Contemporary Gallery again. It is a beautiful, creative, influential collaboration. The location is also so important and historical for art — Florence. The first collaboration took place 5 years ago. I am glad that 3 of my works were included in the gallery's catalog at that time! I wish the Gallery success and great recognition.