Martins Krumins
Encyclopedia
Mārtiņš Krūmiņš was a Latvian-American Impressionist painter. He left Latvia
after World War II and came to the United States in 1950. As Janis Siliņš wrote in a book about Mārtiņš Krūmiņš (Published by the Latvian Humanities and Social Science Association in 1980 and not copyrighted) "Mārtiņš Krūmiņš ... belongs to those artists of his generation, who amidst the changing trends of contemporary art, after thirty years in exile and emigration, as still basically close to and developing the traditions of their homeland art - of the 'Latvian or Riga School'"
, Latvia. His father owned rental cottages along the Baltic Sea
and engaged in various forms of business. The family was not wealthy and life was hard. Mārtiņš was a keen observer and the images which he observed as a child - the seashore, the many cloudy, northern days, the fishermen and their boats and work - these influenced his entire life and work. These were the early images upon which his heart opened.
Mārtiņš attended a traditional elementary school in Riga and when the First World War broke out the family moved to the provincial town of Valmiera
to escape the advancing front. As the front advanced again, Mārtiņš moved to Valka
in Northeast Latvia and when living conditions deteriorated again, Martiņš moved to Irkutsk
in Siberia to live with his half sisters and their husbands. Mārtiņš graduated from the Irkutsk Commercial School but as the communist regime came closer and closer and civil ware broke out between the Red and White Armies
, a Latvian regiment was formed under the protection of the Allied forces which Mārtiņš joined. An order came for the regiment to sail to Latvia and this led to an important adventure for Mārtiņš; exotic places, different cultures, ports in different countries: China, Korea, India, the Suez, the Mediterranean and North Atlantic.
and studied at Vinogradov's studio from 1929 to 1935. In 1935 Kruminš enrolled in the Latvian Academy of Art and was admitted to Vilhelms Purvītis
' masterclass of landscape painting. The Soviet occupation took place in 1940-41 and the communists made changes in the management of the Academy and the German occupation followed in 1941 through 1945. In 1942 M. Krumiņš earned the title of an academic "artist-painter" for his diploma work "Purvciems"
in Latvia to Danzig in Germany with hundreds of other refugees on the same ship. As Hitler's Reich collapsed, Mārtiņš Krūmiņš, as a displaced person, settled in a refugee camp in Augsburg. This was the beginning of productive years as an artist, despite the poor quality and scarcity of painting materials that could be purchased after the war in Germany. J. Silins wrote in his book about Mārtiņš Krūmiņš; "Krumins was well recognized by the German art critics for the simple reason that he was an articulate artist, different from Cezannists
, from German and French Expressionists, Surrealists and adepts of Fauvism
. A German art critic, H. Kellenbenz, placed the Latvian painter amidst the Western Impressionists with his very personal and restrained palette. Several years later, the art critic of The New York Times
judged the same pictures differently; Martins Krumins, whose wintery landscapes are expressionistic."
Mārtiņš Krūmiņš took part in exhibitions organized by the International Refugee Organization
in Amsterdam
, Hague and Paris and also taught at the Latvian University Extension in Augsburg
. In 1950 he sailed for the United States.
which, incidentally, has a collection of his paintings at their headquarters in Pennsylvania.
Mārtiņš Krūmiņš has had many individual exhibits of his work throughout the United States, and also in Canada, Sweden and Latvia. He has also taken part in many joint exhibits with other Latvian artists. Some of these were organized by the American-Latvian Association Culture Fund and also the New York Latvian Artists Group. He was also a friend of Latvian-American Artist Lucia Peka
. They both lived in New Jersey.
, thousands of Latvians fled the country to become the Diaspora. When these Latvian "Displaced Persons" came to the United States and other western countries, they saw in the subsequent Soviet occupation of their homeland, an effort to eradicate Latvian culture. But resources are now available, in Latvia and abroad, to provide a substantial overview of art from this Latvian Diaspora period. In Latvia the three main institutions responsible for maintaining such information on artists of the Diaspora are the Latvian National Museum of Art, the Latvian Center for Contemporary Art and the Latvian Artists' Union. Together, they have begun to complete the history of European art.
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
after World War II and came to the United States in 1950. As Janis Siliņš wrote in a book about Mārtiņš Krūmiņš (Published by the Latvian Humanities and Social Science Association in 1980 and not copyrighted) "Mārtiņš Krūmiņš ... belongs to those artists of his generation, who amidst the changing trends of contemporary art, after thirty years in exile and emigration, as still basically close to and developing the traditions of their homeland art - of the 'Latvian or Riga School'"
Early life
Mārtiņš Krūmiņš was born in 1900 in RigaRiga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, Latvia. His father owned rental cottages along the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
and engaged in various forms of business. The family was not wealthy and life was hard. Mārtiņš was a keen observer and the images which he observed as a child - the seashore, the many cloudy, northern days, the fishermen and their boats and work - these influenced his entire life and work. These were the early images upon which his heart opened.
Mārtiņš attended a traditional elementary school in Riga and when the First World War broke out the family moved to the provincial town of Valmiera
Valmiera
Valmiera is the largest city of the historical Vidzeme region, Latvia, with a total area of 18.1 km². It is the center of the Valmiera District. As of 2002, Valmiera had a population of 27,323, and in 2008 – 27,569....
to escape the advancing front. As the front advanced again, Mārtiņš moved to Valka
Valka
Valka is a town in northern Latvia, on the border with Estonia.Valka and the Estonian town Valga are twins, separated by the Estonian/Latvian border but using the slogan "One Town, Two States". The border dividing the Livonian town of Walk was marked out in 1920 by an international jury headed by...
in Northeast Latvia and when living conditions deteriorated again, Martiņš moved to Irkutsk
Irkutsk
Irkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
in Siberia to live with his half sisters and their husbands. Mārtiņš graduated from the Irkutsk Commercial School but as the communist regime came closer and closer and civil ware broke out between the Red and White Armies
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
, a Latvian regiment was formed under the protection of the Allied forces which Mārtiņš joined. An order came for the regiment to sail to Latvia and this led to an important adventure for Mārtiņš; exotic places, different cultures, ports in different countries: China, Korea, India, the Suez, the Mediterranean and North Atlantic.
Years of Art Studies, 1929–1942
Martiņš Krumiņš was influenced by the Russian emigre painter, Sergei VinogradovSergei Vinogradov
Sergei Leonidovich Vinogradov is a Russian professional football player. Currently, he plays for FC Sakhalin Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. He made his debut in the Russian Premier League in 2001 for FC Krylia Sovetov Samara. He played for FC Krylia Sovetov Samara in the UEFA Cup.-Honours:* Russian Premier...
and studied at Vinogradov's studio from 1929 to 1935. In 1935 Kruminš enrolled in the Latvian Academy of Art and was admitted to Vilhelms Purvītis
Vilhelms Purvitis
Vilhelms Purvītis was a landscape painter and educator who founded the Latvian Academy of Art and was its rector from 1919 to 1934....
' masterclass of landscape painting. The Soviet occupation took place in 1940-41 and the communists made changes in the management of the Academy and the German occupation followed in 1941 through 1945. In 1942 M. Krumiņš earned the title of an academic "artist-painter" for his diploma work "Purvciems"
The Years as a Refugee in Germany 1944–1949
On June 14, 1941, the Soviets deported thousands and thousands of people to Siberia. When the Germans came in, the German gendarmes were arresting people on the street. In October 1944 Mārtiņš Krūmiņš took his roll of canvases and sailed from LiepājaLiepaja
Liepāja ; ), is a republican city in western Latvia, located on the Baltic Sea directly at 21°E. It is the largest city in the Kurzeme Region of Latvia, the third largest city in Latvia after Riga and Daugavpils and an important ice-free port...
in Latvia to Danzig in Germany with hundreds of other refugees on the same ship. As Hitler's Reich collapsed, Mārtiņš Krūmiņš, as a displaced person, settled in a refugee camp in Augsburg. This was the beginning of productive years as an artist, despite the poor quality and scarcity of painting materials that could be purchased after the war in Germany. J. Silins wrote in his book about Mārtiņš Krūmiņš; "Krumins was well recognized by the German art critics for the simple reason that he was an articulate artist, different from Cezannists
Paul Cézanne
Paul Cézanne was a French artist and Post-Impressionist painter whose work laid the foundations of the transition from the 19th century conception of artistic endeavour to a new and radically different world of art in the 20th century. Cézanne can be said to form the bridge between late 19th...
, from German and French Expressionists, Surrealists and adepts of Fauvism
Fauvism
Fauvism is the style of les Fauves , a short-lived and loose group of early twentieth-century Modern artists whose works emphasized painterly qualities and strong colour over the representational or realistic values retained by Impressionism...
. A German art critic, H. Kellenbenz, placed the Latvian painter amidst the Western Impressionists with his very personal and restrained palette. Several years later, the art critic of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
judged the same pictures differently; Martins Krumins, whose wintery landscapes are expressionistic."
Mārtiņš Krūmiņš took part in exhibitions organized by the International Refugee Organization
International Refugee Organization
The International Refugee Organization was founded on April 20, 1946 to deal with the massive refugee problem created by World War II. A Preparatory Commission began operations fourteen months previously. It was a United Nations specialized agency and took over many of the functions of the earlier...
in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Hague and Paris and also taught at the Latvian University Extension in Augsburg
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
. In 1950 he sailed for the United States.
In the United States 1950–1992
In 1950 Mārtiņš Krūmiņš arrived in New York and began a difficult process of adjusting to life in the United States. He did not speak English and now had to secure a job to earn a living and, of course, continue the creative work itself. Compared to the poor quality of artist's materials available in the refugee camp, the canvases and oil paints available in the United States helped his work tremendously, as can be seen from the paintings themselves. Krumins passed the examinations in architectural drawing and worked until his retirement for a company in Elizabeth, New JerseyElizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
which, incidentally, has a collection of his paintings at their headquarters in Pennsylvania.
Mārtiņš Krūmiņš has had many individual exhibits of his work throughout the United States, and also in Canada, Sweden and Latvia. He has also taken part in many joint exhibits with other Latvian artists. Some of these were organized by the American-Latvian Association Culture Fund and also the New York Latvian Artists Group. He was also a friend of Latvian-American Artist Lucia Peka
Lucia Peka
Lucia Peka was a Latvian-American Artist. Born in Latvia, she became part of the Diaspora of artists who fled Latvia during World War II, and eventually settled in the United States where she was a successful painter of landscapes, figures, and still life for almost 50 years...
. They both lived in New Jersey.
Latvian Diaspora
Mārtiņš Krūmiņš is part of the Latvian Diaspora - Latvian nationals who produced art outside of Latvia during the Soviet occupation. As more than 200,000 Latvian citizens died during World War II and the Nazi occupationOccupation of the Baltic republics by Nazi Germany
The occupation of the Baltic republics by Nazi Germany occurred during Operation Barbarossa from 1941 to 1944. Initially, many Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians considered the Germans as liberators from the Soviet Union. The Balts hoped for the restoration of independence, but instead the...
, thousands of Latvians fled the country to become the Diaspora. When these Latvian "Displaced Persons" came to the United States and other western countries, they saw in the subsequent Soviet occupation of their homeland, an effort to eradicate Latvian culture. But resources are now available, in Latvia and abroad, to provide a substantial overview of art from this Latvian Diaspora period. In Latvia the three main institutions responsible for maintaining such information on artists of the Diaspora are the Latvian National Museum of Art, the Latvian Center for Contemporary Art and the Latvian Artists' Union. Together, they have begun to complete the history of European art.
External links
- Website for Mārtiņš Krūmiņš by his Niece, Daina Krūmiņš
- Notable Latvians
- Latvian Artists during Wartime
- The Center for Latvian Diaspora Art (Diasporas Makslas Centrs)
- See the "Art in Exile" Chapter of "The Visual Arts in Latvia" at the Latvian Institute
- Examine the history of the "American Latvian Artists Association (ALMA)"