Fondation Beyeler Marks Vija Celmins' 60-Year Artistic Journey

The Fondation Beyeler in Riehen, Switzerland, is currently hosting a major retrospective exhibition celebrating the 60-year career of Latvian-born artist Vija Celmins, who is renowned for her meticulous depictions of the natural world alongside her lesser-known interior scenes and sculptures. The exhibition, which runs until September 21, 2025, showcases Celmins' diverse body of work, reflecting her profound engagement with themes of nature, space, and the passage of time.

Vija Celmins, born in Riga, Latvia, in 1938, experienced the upheavals of World War II, which led her family to migrate to the United States in 1948. Settling in Indianapolis, Celmins later moved to Los Angeles, where she attended art school in the early 1960s. It was during this period that she began to diverge from the prevailing art movements of her time, such as Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art, opting instead for a more subdued palette and a contemplative approach to her subject matter.

As noted by Theodora Vischer, Chief Curator at Fondation Beyeler, Celmins' works encapsulate her drive to challenge the limitations of the pictorial plane. "Capturing the unfathomable within the strict limits of the pictorial plane is a hallmark of her work," Vischer states. This retrospective not only highlights Celmins' celebrated paintings and drawings of spiderwebs, night skies, and ocean waves but also her exploration into three-dimensional forms, which provide another avenue to examine spatial depth.

Celmins transitioned from painting to drawing, favoring the pencil for its precision and density. "I dropped paint because I was not satisfied with it. I fell for the pencil—maybe so I could explore its ability to be dense yet precise," Celmins explained in an interview with The Art Newspaper. This shift marked a significant evolution in her artistic practice, leading her to focus on personal themes and detailed observations of both the natural world and the cosmic universe.

A significant aspect of the exhibition is the way it invites viewers to engage deeply with the artworks. Vischer elaborates, "Celmins invites the viewer into a deeper, almost meditative space, while always remaining anchored to the flatness of the page." This duality is central to Celmins' work, creating a compelling experience that encourages contemplation of the infinite within the confines of a two-dimensional surface.

The exhibition includes a selection of sculptures, illustrating Celmins' ability to navigate between flat and three-dimensional spaces. These pieces further contribute to the understanding of her artistic vision, which has been influenced by various movements, including Pop Art and the works of artists like Jasper Johns and Claes Oldenburg.

Vischer, who collaborated closely with Celmins in curating the exhibition, remarked on the importance of presenting these works in person: "Revisiting the works, especially those from the mid-1960s onwards, served as a powerful reminder of their enduring presence. They demand to be seen in person, experienced directly, in their full physical and spatial reality."

As the exhibition unfolds, it not only celebrates Vija Celmins' substantial contributions to contemporary art but also serves as a reminder of the artist's relentless pursuit of artistic innovation. Her work stands as a testament to the power of art to transcend time and space, inviting viewers to reflect on both the natural world and the cosmos beyond.

The Fondation Beyeler's retrospective is a significant event in the art world, showcasing the intricate and evolved practice of Vija Celmins as she continues to inspire and provoke thought through her art. Vija Celmins’ exhibition at Fondation Beyeler not only honors her legacy but also encourages future generations to explore the depths of artistic expression.