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This section features coins whose design was created by the artist – from the initial concept to the final visual solution.
Visvaldis Asaris was born on 16 January 1960 in Riga.
Each era can be recognised by the signs it has left in the environment. "We have Old Riga, art nouveau and distinguished modern architecture, but there are practically no artistic elements in our contemporary environment," Visvaldis Asaris regrets. He frequently thinks about places like Andrejosta and other areas still considered degraded, but most often he contemplates the centre of Riga itself, particularly the linden alley on Brīvības Boulevard, which stretches from Elizabetes Street to the Freedom Monument. In his imagination, he sees it as a beam of light cutting through the heart of the city. Through the projects he has conceived and implemented, this place now shines at least during the national holidays on May 4 and November 18 each year. He has created several festive installations, including Starojums (Radiance), Lidojums (Flight), the historic ships in the city canal for the Midsummer celebration, Līgotāji (Midsummer Celebrants), Jāņi un Jāņuzāles (Midsummer and Wildflowers), as well as objects for the festival Ziemassvētku egļu ceļš (The Christmas Tree Path) and the city's main Christmas tree which each year is dedicated to a significant symbol of Riga. Staro Rīga (Beaming Riga), the impressive autumn light festival, also largely reflects the vision of Visvaldis Asaris. New artists with fresh ideas and clever solutions continue to join these projects, using innovative materials and cutting-edge technologies.
Meanwhile, the artist's major work – environmental art objects meant to remain in the city as characteristic features of their era – is still in its early stages. Some recently installed objects such as the Honour Gate in Riga at the intersection of Brīvības Boulevard and Elizabetes Street (2018) and Sidraba Ābele (The Silver Apple Tree) in Jēkabpils (2018) are less successful due to their cost and, more significantly, because the enthusiasm for new technologies often overshadows visual aesthetics. It cannot be denied – in a way, it reflects the era we live in.
Visvaldis Asaris graduated from the Decorative Design Department of Riga Secondary School of Applied Arts (1979) and from the Graphical Design Department of the Art Academy of Latvia (1994). He supplemented his knowledge in graphics and design graphics through programmes at Humboldt State University (USA; 1992–1993). The artist obtained an MA of Arts from the Environmental Art Department of the Art Academy of Latvia (2012).
During the 1980s and 1990s, he worked passionately in poster design, focusing primarily on environmental protection posters. In recent decades, he has been more active in environmental art and graphical design. His largest permanent environmental objects include a plastic commemorative sign featuring a book and a rooster in honour of Old Stenders in Sunākste (2014), a commemorative wall dedicated to Imants Ziedonis in Tukums (2016), as well as Sidraba ābele (The Silver Apple Tree) in Jēkabpils (2018) and Zeme (The Earth) in Baltinava (2018).
Visvaldis Asaris has participated in exhibitions since 1985, consistently taking part in numerous major poster exhibitions both in Latvia and abroad, including countries such as Switzerland, Finland, Poland, Russia, and Estonia, to name but a few. The artist organised three solo exhibitions in Riga – Grafika un glezniecība (Graphics and Painting; 1994), Rentgens (X-ray; posters; 2018), and Savienojumi (Connections; with his daughter Baiba Ābelīte, 2021/2022). He organised and participated in the first large-scale urban poster exhibition – Diagnoze (Diagnosis; Brīvības Boulevard in Riga; 2009), as well as the retrospective Latvian poster exhibition Spoguļi (Mirrors; at the Station Square, Riga; 2017) marking the centenary of Latvia.
The artist has received the Annual Award in Design (2012), the Riga City Council Annual Award White Sparrow (2014) and other awards.
He has been a member of the Artists' Union of Latvia since 1989 and a member of the Latvian Designers Society since 2013.
His works are kept in the museum collection of the Artists' Union of Latvia and the poster collection of the National Library of Latvia.
The biography was prepared by Rūta Muižniece,
Master of Arts
