Ivars Zaikins, By the Sea, 2001, Mixed Media on Cardboard

By the sea. 2001, cardboard, author's technique, 17.5x25 cm Ivars Zaikins (1942-2017) Zaikins Ivars - an artist. He was born in 1942. During of the Soviet Union period, he worked as an artist in Latvian National Opera, Daile Theatre, the Latvian National Theatre, the New Riga Theatre and elsewhere. Ivar Zaikins works in poster and painting field. During of the Soviet Union period was a triple winner of the Communists award. He has participated in exhibitions in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Odessa and other cities of the Union. Twice he participated in the Biennale of Tallinn. He has worked and exhibited works together with the most famous artists of Latvia, the Baltic States and other countries. After the geopolitical situation change in 1989-1991, when Latvia gained independence from the Union Zaikins status in the Latvian artistic field has changed dramatically. Zaikins was named as collaborator of State Security Committee, and was expelled from the Latvian art world - his works was not accepted at the exhibitions, his name was not mentioned in art magazines and in the books about the artists. Meanwhile Zaikins continued to paint in his characteristic technique with recognizable motifs - mixing basic colors and merging them together. Zaikins art motives are cosmic landscapes with a variety of creatures. Zaikin painted works, one after another, and sold them by himself. Such type of activity Zaikins has maintained for 26 years and continues to paint. According to the artist, it may be about 30 000 paintings, which have been sold.