A Large-Format Graffiti Mural Dedicated to Latvia’s Centenary Is Being Created in Jelgava

As the celebrations of Latvia’s centenary approach, the city of Jelgava will give its residents a large-format wall mural, which will be created in August during the “Symbols of Strength for Latvia” graffiti art festival. The aim of the festival is to create space and a venue for expressions of graffiti art that would blend harmoniously into the urban environment while highlighting Latvia and Latvian identity.

The mural for the first “Symbols of Strength for Latvia” graffiti art festival will be created by one of Latvia’s leading graffiti stencil artists, Dainis Rudens. The building of the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies by the Mītava Bridge—at 7 Jāņa Čakstes Boulevard, where the Jelgava Student Theatre is housed—has been selected for the project.

The artist will begin work on the large-scale drawing, which will cover approximately 240 m2, in mid-August, and anyone interested will be able to follow the process in person. The unveiling will take place on 1 September at 16:00. Afterwards, creative workshops will be held on Pasta Island as part of the “ZinīBums” Knowledge Day event, where everyone will be able to create their own symbol of strength for Latvia.

The project is being implemented by the Jelgava City Council and the Jelgava municipal institution “Culture” in cooperation with the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies. The project is supported by the State Culture Capital Foundation.

The celebrations of the centenary of the Latvian state will take place from 2017 to 2021. The central message of the centenary celebrations is “I Am Latvia”, emphasising that the Latvian state’s greatest value is its people, who shape its present through their daily work and, together with the younger generation, lay the foundations for tomorrow. The “Symbols of Strength for Latvia” graffiti art festival is one of the events held as part of the centenary celebrations of the Latvian state.