Kalvis Zuters

Born in Latvia, Kalvis Zuters graduated from the Latvian Academy of Art in 1993 with a specialization in painting. He is known for the masterful surfaces of his paintings, which feature enigmatic doll-like figures and are characterized by luminous glazes, soft colors, selective use of metal leaf, and remarkable visual texture.

"Within the context of painting I am very interested in dolls because they are an unreal representation of human beings. A person can never be real in a painting. A painting is not made of flesh and blood, and it cannot move. Therefore, dolls are more adapted to the environment of the canvas than any photographic representation of a human. Moreover, our imagination can set the figures into motion and animate them according to our moods. In a certain way – through the use of one’s imagination – the viewer can thus be involved in the process of painting, involved in the work of art itself."