The Art Museum opens its doors. Tests epidemiologically safe operation of cultural sites / Article / LSM.lv

From April 21 to May 4, 2021, the Latvian National Museum of Art (LNMM) will implement the first Pilot project initiated by the Ministry of Culture safe resumption of public activities of cultural sites. The exhibition “Unaccustomed Souls. Symbolism in the Art of the Baltic States ”will be able to be visited by prior registration, the museum representatives informed. –

The aim of the pilot projects of the Ministry of Culture is to test the possibility of epidemiologically safe cultural events for both visitors and their employees according to the previously developed guidelines. LNMM, with prior application for a specific time of visit, will be an opportunity for anyone interested to see the ambitious joint centenary project of all three Baltic States, “Unaccustomed Souls. Symbolism in the Art of the Baltic States ”.

From an epidemiological point of view, museums are recognized as one of the safest places to visit,

in which it is possible to organize a steady flow of visitors, observe a distance of 2 meters and other epidemiological safety requirements, LNMM pointed out. Especially it can be applied to the building of the Latvian National Museum of Art in Janis Rozentāls Square, which has a large square footage and volume, there is a climate and ventilation regulatory system that performs continuous air quality monitoring. The museum is able to provide a number of precautions to make visitors and staff feel safe, including cleaning and disinfection of premises and surfaces, contactless payments, as well as a maximum number of visitors that can be in the building at a time, providing at least 25 m² of space per person. .

For the implementation of the pilot project, LNMM will open its doors to the internationally acclaimed exhibition “Unaccustomed Souls. Symbolism in the Art of the Baltic States ”. It was exhibited in 2018 at the prestigious Orsay Museum in Paris, then at the Kumu Art Museum in Tallinn and at the National Art Gallery of the Lithuanian National Museum of Art in Vilnius. The exhibition was opened on November 19, 2020 in Riga as the last closing place of the exhibition. However, already on December 21, in order to limit the spread of Covid-19, the public activities of the museums were suspended, thus significantly affecting the attendance of the exhibition. Under international cooperation agreements, the last possible extension is until 4 May 2021. Therefore, by opening the museum, LNMM gives the opportunity, both for a very limited period of time, to those interested to visit the exhibition.

“Concluding the presentation of the project in Riga, we can conclude that we were able to pay attention to the Baltic States both culturally and politically and diplomatically, without leaving indifferent visitors to the exhibition in Paris, Tallinn, Vilnius and Riga. We have contributed by opening the Baltics to France and Europe and at the same time proving to ourselves that together we can fulfill powerful ideas, ”said Dr. NNMM, Head of the Latvian Visual Arts Department. art. Ginta Gerharde-Upeniece.

The development and implementation of the pilot project takes place in close cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Health and the Center for Disease and Prevention.

–