RIGA.- From 16 September to 22 November 2026, the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design in Riga hosts the exhibition Rūdolfs Heimrāts 100. Legacy, dedicated to the centenary of the outstanding textile artist Rūdolfs Heimrāts (1926–1992) who was professor at the Art Academy of Latvia and founder of the Latvian textile art school.
“I love sitting at the loom and weaving. Everything leading up to that moment is filled with doubt and struggle. All kinds of possibilities surround me, and I could go on considering them endlessly, but once I am at the loom, I can honestly say that I am happy. I prepare for it almost as a ritual: I arrange all my materials, choose the records I want to listen to, and then, with the selected music playing, I weave thread by thread. My hands and feet move continuously; only my head, once bowed in the morning, remains that way until evening – and I am happy,” Rūdolfs Heimrāts wrote in one of his letters.
The exhibition unveils Rūdolfs Heimrāts’ multifaceted creative and pedagogical legacy, highlighting his significant contribution to the development of Latvian textile art in the second half of the 20th century. Alongside tapestries, decorative textiles, fabric print designs, and ceramics, special consideration is given to his work as an educator at the Art Academy of Latvia who has inspired several generations of textile artists. Visitors will enjoy exploring Heimrāts’ works from various museum collections, learn about the unrealised creative projects from his family archive, documentary films and photographs from private archives and the Latvian State Archives of Audiovisual Documents. The display also features vibrant fabric prints and innovative textile designs in different techniques. For the first time a particular focus has been placed on Heimrāts’ collaboration with architects (M. Staņa, Dz. Driba, O. Ostenbergs, L. A. Knāķe, M. Ģelzis, and others) and his contribution to the development of interior design.
The exhibition presents Rūdolfs Heimrāts’ oeuvre through several thematic sections that were especially close to him: love for his native land, the beauty of nature, traditions associated with folk celebrations and everyday life, and an understanding of the distinctive values of textile art – from classical tapestry to contemporary innovation and creative experimentation.
One of the exhibition’s central themes is Rūdolfs Heimrāts’ work as an educator and his role in establishing the Latvian school of textile art. As the foundation of professional education for textile artists, the Textile Art Department of the Art Academy of Latvia has trained approximately 300 artists over the course of its existence, with Heimrāts’ influence evident, either directly or indirectly, in their practice. The creative achievements and professional success of the department’s graduates have demonstrated the high standard of the Latvian school of textile art both at home and internationally. Among Heimrāts’ students are such distinguished artists as Edīte Pauls-Vīgnere, Aija Baumane, Egils Rozenbergs, Lilita Postaža, Ruta Bogustova, Dzintra Vilks, Arvīds Priedīte, Anita Celma, Inese Jakobi, Baiba Osīte, Pēteris Sidars, Iveta Vecenāne, Ieva Krūmiņa, and many others. Rūdolfs Heimrāts played an important role not only in the development of textile art in Latvia, but also within the broader context of textile art across the Baltic States.
The exhibition is accompanied by an extensive educational and event programme, including a conference celebrating Rūdolfs Heimrāts’ enduring creative legacy and his far-reaching artistic influence in Latvia and the Baltic States.
