The Unicorn's Refuge: Textile Works of Georg Barkan 0 5

Barkan was an innovator of Latvian textiles in the second half of the 20th century, developing compositional principles influenced by proto-Renaissance and Cubism, and creating rich, subtly nuanced color palettes. The image of the unicorn particularly fascinated the artist — he reinterpreted European tapestries from the 14th–15th centuries that he saw in France. His wife, Dzidra Ozolina (1922–2014), played a significant role in the creation of textile works.

Georg Barkan worked and taught, combining his architectural education with textile art. In 1958, he began teaching at the Riga Secondary School of Applied Arts, where he, along with his wife, mastered weaving and participated in shaping a new methodology for modern design.

The exhibition includes large-format tapestries and batik from the collections of museums in Latvia and private collections, as well as photographs. Curator Vilnis Veiss and scenographer Reinis Dzudzilo created the exhibition with respect for Barkan's principle of symmetry and the unique character of the museum building.