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This section features coins whose design was created by the artist – from the initial concept to the final visual solution.
A very delicate and intellectual painter, she is an artist of the third generation. Like no one else, Frančeska Kirke skilfully draws inspiration from the motifs and characters of past centuries' art collections, seamlessly weaving them into her compositions. She "copies" fragments – whether larger pieces or tiny details – from well-known artworks with remarkable visual precision. With a seemingly playful ease, yet grounded in thoughtful consideration, she draws connections to today’s world, evokes the 'non-disappearance' of emotions, and imparts a tangible sense of depth to what is depicted, whether visible or not. The artist provokes reflection on the essence of a thing, event, or phenomenon – its fulfilment or, more often, a subtle irony regarding its absence. Reflecting on the inevitable eternity of this flaw.
Past centuries, particularly the characters from the most prominent world paintings of the 17th and 18th centuries, coexist with present-day events in her artistic space. She deconstructs, reconfigures, and plays with these elements, finding ever more joy in the act of creation. "Step by step, piece by piece, by removing everything unnecessary," the painter explains, "characters, shadows, lines, light, silhouettes, textures, and details emerge, each containing a paraphrase of an idea." And what's more: "I believe an artist should provoke. Art should not leave one indifferent; it should compel you to stop and look. To do otherwise would be tragic. However, the rest of the emotional spectrum remains positive."
Frančeska Kirke was born on 15 December 1953 in Riga.
She graduated from Janis Rozentāls Riga Art Secondary School in 1972 and completed the Monumental Painting Workshop of the Art Academy of Latvia in 1978. She obtained a Master's degree in Arts (MA) in 2003.
Her primary focus is painting, but she has also created book illustrations, posters, record and CD covers, and puppet films Kāpēc pelītei nenāca miegs (Why the Little Mouse Didn’t Want to Sleep, 1979) and Pat zirgam jāsmejas (It Makes Even the Horse Laugh, 1980), both directed by Arnolds Burovs. Additionally, she has worked on wall paintings and graphic design for several lats and euro coins for Latvijas Banka.
Frančeska Kirke has participated in exhibitions since 1974. She has participated in Latvian and international art exhibitions in cities such as Riga, Moscow, Vilnius, Paris, Strasbourg, Brussels, Zwolle, Nuremberg, Rauma, and others. Additionally, she has held numerous solo exhibitions abroad, including in Hamburg (1988), San Francisco (1991), New York (1996, 1998, 2000), Ascona (2003), and Berlin (2017). In Riga, she has presented around ten solo exhibitions, often annually or more frequently, including Somebody (2017), Revise (2017), Transform (2018), and Trauslums/Fragile (2019/2020).
She has been a member of the Latvian Artists’ Union of Latvia since 1982.
She received the annual award from the Latvian Artists' Union for her exhibition Metropole. Rīga (Metropolis. Riga) in collaboration with Ieva Baranovska in 1999 and was honoured with the Golden Medal of the Latvian Artists' Union and the title of Artist of the Year (2001). Additionally, she received the Author's Prize 2020 from the Copyright and Communication Consulting Agency AKKA/LAA, among other accolades.
Her works are included in the collections of the Latvian National Museum of Art, and the Latvian Artists' Union Museum, among others.
The biography was prepared by Rūta Muižniece,
Master of Arts
