"The Riverman" Painting

Bio: Hele is an interdisciplinary Latvian artist whose practice explores the relationships between nature, perception, and the intangible. She graduated from the Art Academy of Latvia in 2017 and studied visual arts at Escola Massana, Centre d’Art i Disseny in Barcelona in 2016. Her education also includes courses in natural sciences, cultural studies, and music production, reflecting the cross-disciplinary nature of her work.

Hele has participated in numerous group exhibitions and art events, and has presented solo exhibitions and performances both in Latvia and internationally. Recent projects include participation in ARTAPESTRY7, a triennial organized by the European Tapestry Forum, where she presented her hand-woven tapestry I Will Meet You at The River, as well as Forssa Textile Week in Finland with her project Where The Fairies Dwell.

Statement: My work is inspired by nature and the intangible world. I observe and document natural environments, approaching them as interconnected systems that extend beyond what is visible. Through my art, I seek to emphasize the importance of preserving natural ecosystems, biodiversity and also cultural heritage - honoring indigenous knowledge and wisdom as a foundation for meaningful, sustainable living, while highlighting values and the interrelationships between micro and macro elements. With my works I invite people to stop, see and feel. My practice blends fieldwork - using film, photography, sound and drawing - with slow and intentional studio-based work in material. Hand-weaving, a symbolic practice passed down to me since childhood, now plays a central role in materializing these observations and thoughts.