Maija Purgaile
Maija Purgaile (b. 1953, Riga, Latvia) is a Latvian artist who holds a Master’s degree from the Art Academy of Latvia. She is a member of the Latvian Artists’ Union and has combined her artistic practice with a long-standing career in art education.
Throughout her career, she has held numerous solo exhibitions and participated in group exhibitions in Latvia and internationally. Her works are included in the collections of several Latvian museums, a museum in Poland, and private collections abroad. She has received awards and recognition at exhibitions and art competitions in Latvia, Poland, Hungary, and Russia.
She currently works as an art teacher at Berģi Music and Art Primary School.
Her artistic practice is characterised by a combination of extensive professional experience, creative exploration, and dedication to arts education.
An Ancient Song, 2014
Mixed media tapestry
(wool, linen, synthetic fibres)
160 × 147 × 1.5 cm
After the Storm, 2019
Acrylic on plywood
112 × 62 × 1.5 cm
Textile Art and Painting
An Ancient Song was created as a reflection on the ancient Latvian seafarers, the Maritime School of Ainaži, and the historic Port of Ainaži, of which only the stone breakwater remains today.
Even now, one can still sense the presence of the past while gazing at the ever-changing formations of clouds above the sea. The work invites viewers to imagine the traces of history preserved within the landscape and the enduring connection between people and the sea.
The Baltic coastline has long been known as the Amber Coast, linked to the ancient Amber Route, through which Baltic amber traveled from the shores of the Baltic Sea to the lands of the Etruscans, Rome, Athens, Egypt, Persia, and beyond.
In Latvian cultural tradition, nature is often envisioned through the image of the Mother: the Mother of the Sea, the Mother of the Earth, the Mother of the Forest, and many others.
As I watch the movement of the waves, I imagine a female figure shimmering in the sunlight—a guardian and giver of treasures. Through this vision, the sea becomes a symbol of memory, abundance, and the timeless bond between humanity and nature.